A ninja story
by ficklefrog
Summary: A ship sinks off the coast of Japan. A little girl survives. She is found by a man who happens to be a ninja master. He takes her in and raises her as his daughter. Ten years later she's on a mission when she comes across a blond stranger with blue eyes
1. Chapter 1

This is totally A/U. Eight year old Santana has been washed ashore in Japan. She is found by an old man who happens to be a ninja master. She grows up to become a shinobi, a ninja.

I don't really speak Japanese so please excuse any mistakes in the Japanese phrases. I know it's not customary to use the –desu form when speaking to children but I want Takai to be strangely polite to her when they first meet.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing a few characters.

**Prologue**

She runs through the corridor as fast as she can. The scream had come from the room farthest away. As she reaches the door she comes to a perfect standstill and takes a quick look around. There is no one else in the corridor. She reaches for her wakizashi, and with a swift movement she slides the shoji door open.

He has an arm around the woman's waist. His other hand is covering her mouth. Her blue eyes are wide open in fear.

Santana acts on instinct. The _shurkien_ leaves her hand before he sees her. There is a faint squelch as it hits its mark in his left eye. The strong poison enters his bloodstream immediately, and she rushes forward towards him as his arm loosens its grip of the blonde's waist. He staggers backwards before slumping to the floor without a sound. She presses her shin against his mouth and muffles any sound he tries to make. His arms flap a little but the poison is already taking effect. A few moments later his eyes roll back in his head and his body is forever still.

The blue eyed woman doesn't move. She just stares. Santana feels her heart pounding in her chest, as much from the sprint as from the scene in the room.

Those eyes. Santana has never before seen anything like them. They're so blue. They're mystifying. For a moment she can't stop looking at them. They lock gazes with each other for what feels like an eternity, then she remembers where she is. With a last glance at the blond woman she turns around and silently leaves the way she came.

**Chapter one**

There is water everywhere! It washes up over the railing and crashes onto the deck, pushing and pulling her in all directions. She tries to hold on to a rope by one of the masts but her hands are slipping. The water pulls so hard and it's so cold. The wind tears at her clothes and her wet hair whips her face. Where's her papá? She hears the men shouting and screaming but she can't hear her papá.

The ship rocks violently tilting from one side to the other. It's getting harder to hold on to the rope. Her small fingers are turning white. She thinks she's crying but she's not sure. Her face is wet anyway.

"Papá," she cries out. "Papá, help! Papá!"

Then the ship tilts even more to the side and she loses her footing. Barrels, ropes and boxes come sliding down the deck and plunge into the water. She's hanging from the rope as the waves wash over her and she gulps for air. She mustn't let go. She has to hold on! Her wet clothes feel so heavy and they cling to her body. They feel so cold. There's water in her eyes and water in her mouth. Suddenly, the water engulfs her.

And then there is just darkness. Wet darkness.

She feels two fingers pressing against her neck and senses the presence of someone crouching down next to her. She hears a low voice mutter something she doesn't understand. Slowly, she opens her eyes.

The sun is shining brightly out of the sky and she's looking at a face. A pair of dark eyes are calmly looking at her. She thinks he's old, but she's not sure. His hair is grey and his eyes look strange. They're almond shaped and it looks like he has no eyelids. His skin is the colour of bronze, not completely unlike hers. He keeps looking at her. She wants to say something but her lips would not form any words. She closes her eyes again. She is so tired.

He says something again. It sounds strange- Choppy, somehow. She's never heard anyone speak like that before. He doesn't sound angry, though she's too tired to be afraid anyway.

When she wakes up again, he's sitting next to her. He smiles and says something. She slowly sits up and finds she's on a beach. It is still bright and the water looks calm and peaceful, nothing like the raging scary sea of the night before. Half of her dress has dried in the sunlight, but the part that has been pressed against the sand is still wet and the sand sticks to it. Her arms and legs are full of bruises and she's really thirsty.

"Where is my papá?" she asks the man.

"Eh?" He looks at her and answers in the strange language.

"My papá? I want my papá." She tries to hold back the tears but they well up and spill out of her eyes.

The man shakes his head and makes soothing noises while holding up his hands waving them slowly in front of her. She understands that he's telling her not to cry. Swallowing hard, she wipes her face with the back of her hands.

"Who are you?" she asks.

He cocks his head to the side a little and looks at her questioningly.

"I'm Santana," she sobs, pointing at herself.

"Santana…" he repeats. _Awwh. Hm.. So desu. Watashi wa Takai desu. Hai. Takai."_ He nods his head and puts his palm to his chest.

"Takai?" She has stopped crying.

"_Hai! Hai. So desu. Watashi wa Takai desu. __Anata wa Santana-chan desu_." He pronounces her name San-ta-na. The man beams at her. She nods and gives him a small smile.

Then she remembers how thirsty she is, and tries to make gestures to show him. She raises her hand, forming it like she is holding a cup before tilting it in front of her mouth. Takai nods and stands up, pointing towards a small path that leads away from the beach.

Slowly, she rises to her feet. Her right leg hurts a little and she sees that her dress is torn in several places. Then, she looks around for her father but the beach is empty. There is just sand and rocks.

They walk for a while. To Santana it feels like they've been walking forever, but in reality it may have taken them about half an hour to reach a small fishing village. The duration of the walk was held in companionable silence. On Santana's part, it was mainly because she doesn't know how to speak to Takai.

He notes that she doesn't complain. Instead, she is stoic and proud. What a peculiar child. Something bad had obviously happened to this little girl. He found her alone and half drowned on the beach. And she's a _gai-jin_, a foreigner. She must have arrived on a ship, but where is the ship and where are the sailors?

They enter the busy village and make their way over to a _ryokan_, an inn. Takai talks to a lady who shows them to a small room. She leaves them but promptly returns with cups of water, which Santana drinks greedily. The water tastes sweet and soothing. Takai holds out his cup towards her. With a brief, thankful smile she accepts the cup and drains it. When she's done she stares wide eyed at the walls and doors and the strange soft floor. Takai has taken off his shoes and motioned to her to do the same. Her feet tread on the _tatami_ mat. The room is strangely bare. She's used to rooms full of furniture and paintings and carpets on the floor. In this room, there is only a small low table. There is one painting on the walls, and it doesn't really look like a painting. It looks like someone has drawn black inky swirly lines with a paintbrush.

Takai leaves the room while she is standing in the middle of the floor, just looking at the strange room. He returns after a few minutes and beckons for her to come with him. She follows him down a corridor and into another room, which has a wooden floor and a large bathtub in the middle of it. It has been filled with hot water and she can see steam rising from the surface.

Takai makes a gesture towards the tub.

"_Do so_," he says. She understands he wants her to take a bath. She nods at him and he quietly leaves the room.

She undresses until she stands shivering naked on the floor. Gingerly she climbs into the tub. The water is hot, but not too hot. It has a faint scent of flowers and herbs. When she sits down the surface comes up to her shoulders. She feels her body relax and she leans back. When she closes her eyes, pictures of the ship form in her mind. Of her sitting at a dinner table with her father and the other officers. Her playing on deck with the crewmembers. Her father tucking her in at night and saying evening prayers together. She misses her father. So much. She sniffs quietly as tears roll down her face and fall to become one with the bathwater. This is such a strange place. Everything looks different; everything smells different. The people all have black hair, except the older men and women who have grey or white hair. Their eyes look like Takai's and she doesn't understand what anyone is saying. She wishes she could speak their foreign tongue. She wants to go home. She misses her room and her toys.

She stays in the bath until the water turns cold. Then she gets up and finds a towel and a clean cotton robe that has been placed on a stool. She notices that her skin has gotten all soft and smooth from the bath. It smells faintly of the herbs. She puts on the plain _yukata_ and rolls up the sleeves that are much too long for her, then proceeds to find her way back to the room.

When she gets there, she sees Takai sitting on the floor in front of the table. There is a pile of papers, a paintbrush and a small inkwell on the table top. He gestures for her to sit next to him before passing her the brush. He has drawn a ship on a piece of paper. The man points to it and looks at her.

"Santana-chan?" he says.

"Did you come here on a ship? Did your ship sink in the storm? Do you know if anybody else survived?" He asks her these questions but at the same time, he knows she doesn't understand what he's saying.

She thinks she understands what he's saying. He wants to know if she was on a ship. He wants her to draw what happened.

She dips the tip of the brush in the black ink and begins to draw.

After a light meal Takai opens a cupboard and takes out two futons, laying them out and placing heavy covers on them. The child kneels and clasps her hands together, bows her head and starts mumbling something. When she's finished she gets under the covers. Within minutes her breathing has evened out and he can conclude that she has fallen asleep.

He smiles to himself and picks up the pile of drawings. There are pictures of her and two people he assumes are her parents, and three siblings. In one of the pictures it says "_8 años_" above Santana. He guesses she is eight years old. It appears she has a dog. He smiles again. There is a picture of her and her father onboard a ship. Then there are pictures of the storm. Waves that wash over the ship; men in the water waving their arms with their mouths open. He imagines her alone and afraid on a ship about to sink. She must have been terrified. Yet she seems so calm and collected now. She is a most intriguing little girl.

With that last lingering thought, he puts the lantern out and goes to bed.

The next day they both wake up early. Santana braids her hair and washes her face in a basin. She is still wearing the _yukata _with a wide belt to hold it in place as her own dress is too torn to wear. The _ryokan_-lady comes to their room with a tray filled with food. There is soup, noodles, fried fish, rice and toasted seaweed. There are also cups of tea. Along with the food, there are four wooden sticks on the tray. Takai picks up two and holds them in his hand and starts eating when he notices the girl is staring at him. She carefully picks up the other two sticks and tries to hold them like he does. He helps her adjust the chopsticks in her small hand.

"_Hashi_," he says and points to the chopsticks.

"_Hashi_," she repeats and he nods at her.

She drops some of her food. The_ hashi_ won't move the way she wants them to but she manages to get some breakfast into her.

The lady has also left them a bundle filled with food. Takai puts it in his bag and lets her know it is time for them to go.

They set out in the morning sunlight heading away from the coast up towards the mountains. She looks back towards the glittering sea, one thought forming in her head.

Papá…

They pass endless fields and head through luscious green woods. They walk for three days, spending each night at a _ryokan_. It's always the same. They have supper, and then she has a bath. When she comes back, Takai goes for his bath. Then they draw each other pictures, telling one another things about themselves. When they're done, he makes their futons and she goes to bed while he stays up a little longer. She feels safe lying under the heavy cover, watching him sit by the table in the soft light from a lantern.

He's teaching her words in his language and she soaks them up like a sponge. On the second day she starts stringing words together. He thinks she's a remarkable child.

She likes him. He is so calm and he is kind to her. He never gets impatient. From his drawings she has gathered he lives in a village in a big house with other people. She thinks he is some kind of teacher.

He has started shortening her name. He calls her San-chan.

On the fourth day they reach his village. It's located at the top of a hill and the climb up is steep. Her feet are so tired. He has explained they are in an area called _Iga. _

She notes that people greet Takai by bowing. She's seen other people bow to each other along the way. They walk through the village up towards a large house. When they reach the door he holds up a hand.

"_Chotto matte, San-chan_." She understands that he wants her to wait for a moment. He removes his shoes and disappears into the house.

She stands on the wooden deck and looks around. The village looks like many of the other villages they have passed through. The people are dressed in plain but tidy clothes. They look neither poor, nor rich. She's still wearing her _yukata_. It needs a wash.

Takai returns and beckons her to enter the house. He leads her through winding corridors until he stops in front of a door. He slides it open and holds out his hand to show her inside. There are several scrolls on the wall. She knows now that the swirly lines are writing. There is a table and a few shelves. There is a large cupboard alongside one of the walls. She knows that is where Takai keeps his futon and bedcover.

They have supper around a large table with five other men. One of them is very old. Santana secretly stares at him when no one is watching. She thinks he looks like he's a hundred years old. His hair is white, and so is his thin beard. His face is filled with wrinkles and he has bushy eyebrows. Takai tells her his name is Kato-sensei. They dine on rice, pickled vegetables, tofu and omelettes. She still struggles a little with her chopsticks but she manages to eat until she's full. The men talk and she understands a few words here and there. Eventually she gets bored and she feels how tired she is after their long journey. She whispers to him that she's tired.

He excuses them both and she understands he's telling Kato-sensei that he will be back.

He escorts her to the bathroom and leaves her while she bathes. He returns twenty minutes later to take her back to the room. He has laid out their futons on the floor. Sleepily, she says her evening prayers and climbs into bed and he pats her goodnight. He leaves the small lantern lit and leaves to rejoin the men in the other room. She falls asleep almost immediately, and dreams of gliding through the water on a ship.

She wakes in the morning as he enters the room. He's carrying a tray with rice and a simple soup. She rubs the sleep out of her eyes, then moves over to the small table. There is a small pile of clothes on the floor. He points to them and then to her. Two sets of undergarments and two clean yukatas. After breakfast she changes into clean clothes and as soon as she is done, he rises and beckons her to follow. They leave the house and walk a short distance to another building. It's large and it's all one big room.

"_Dojo_," he says.

Soon a bunch of boys start to pour in. They all bow deeply in front of Takai. Then they stand in straight lines, facing their teacher. When it seems the last of them has positioned himself, Takai looks at them. Santana notes that the youngest boys must be about her age while the oldest is at least three heads taller than she is.

Takai calls out loudly and the boys reply in unison while they take a step forward and make hitting movements with their arms and hands. Takai calls out again and the boys make more movements. It's like a stop-start dance. Santana sits in a corner and watches. After only a few minutes she finds herself mimicking the boys arm movements. She concentrates on getting the movements right. It's a bit hard to remember in which order to do them.

At a break Takai tells her she can look around in the village but she wants to stay. Not only is she reluctant to go somewhere without him, but she also wants to watch the boys train.

In the afternoon the younger boys leave the dojo and older boys arrive. Santana decides to go explore the village for a while after all.

She draws in the scents of the village. It smells of grass, animals, earth and smoke. Similar, but so different from where she comes from. Everything here looks so different, but when she thinks about it, it's really quite similar to home. Home.. She feels a lump in her stomach. Mami.. Juan, José, Anna. Her dog Pepito. She misses them something awful. As she walks through rice paddies and wheat fields, she gazes at the distant mountains and listens to the birds. Home seems like a million years ago. Almost like it was only a dream. She knows she is in a place called _Nihon_ but she doesn't know where in the world that is.

Days pass. Weeks pass. Eventually it's summer again.

Each day, she follows the same routine. In the morning, she accompanies Takai to the _dojo_ and watches the boys train. In the afternoon she goes for a walk. Some of the villagers recognise her now and sometimes she stops to talk to some of them. Her sentences are short and simple. A lot of the time it's mainly greetings but it cheers her up when people wave at her and call "Hi San-chan!". It makes her smile and she waves back.

In the evening after supper, Takai tutors her. He teaches her more words and she's learning to write too. It's hard! There are so many lines to remember and it's difficult to get them to look good. Writing with a brush is also harder than writing with a quill.

It's late afternoon when Takai unexpectedly comes back to the room to fetch a scroll. He's expecting Santana to be out on one of her walks, but instead she's in the room, standing in the middle of the floor with her back to him. Her legs are slightly bent and her arms move swiftly through the air in a long series of complicated moves. He stills. She takes a step forward, still moving her arms. Her posture is straight and she's perfectly balanced. She finishes the routine, lets her arms fall to her sides and bows deeply.

She must have sensed his presence. Slowly she turns around and her eyes meet his. She feels embarrassed and blushes a little.

"Have you revised your homework for tonight?"

"Yes Takai-san," she replies, still looking a little flustered.

"Good. Good." He gets the scroll and leaves again.

'_She's such a serious child,' _he thinks to himself. He wonders if she was like that before the voyage.

The next morning they follow their usual morning routine. Takai fetches them breakfast while Santana washes and puts the futons away. Eating with chopsticks isn't hard any more. After she has finished he looks at her.

"San-chan…" He gets up and grabs something from out of a chest. "San-chan, put these on." He hands her a small pile of clothes.

As she unfolds the cotton garments she realises it's a _gi_, work out clothes. The same as the boys wear in the dojo. She looks up at Takai with a question in her eyes.

"Today, you start training with the boys, San-chan."

She tears off her _yukata _and puts the _gi_ on. It fits her well. She tightens the belt around her slender body. Then she suddenly stops.

"Takai-san, what will the boys say? And is it ok with Kato-sensei?"

"Yes. Don't worry. And from now on you call me Takai-sensei or just sensei, like the boys."

"Yes sensei." She bows before him.

She feels a little shy taking a spot on the floor in the dojo. She's watched the boys train so many times she doesn't have a problem following the routines. He notices the fluidity in her movements.

There is a taste of blood in her mouth but she keeps running. It's heavy going in the tall grass and the hill is steep. She can hear him panting behind her and she pushes herself to the limit. She can't let him catch her. She nearly trips but scrambles to regain her balance and keeps running. She's almost there, just a little bit further. The muscles in her legs are screaming but she ignores them, forces them to take the next step. She's so close now. She holds out her hand and there! She's grabbed the flag!

She drops to her knees and lets herself fall over and lies on her back, gasping for air.

"You are the most stubborn person in the whole world San-chan!" Koichi laughs and lies down next to her, panting heavily.

"You're just slow Koichi. I keep fit. You should try it sometime." She sticks her tongue out at him. He slaps her on the shoulder and laughs.

"It's not fair. You're so much lighter than I am."

"Maybe you should try eating less _nabe_ so you don't get so fat."

"I'm not fat!" He pulls up his shirt and exposes his stomach. His abdominal muscles show clearly in two neat rows. Look! No fat!" He pinches at the skin. There isn't a trace of fat.

She sits up and looks at him, serious now.

"Sensei says there may be a mission soon. He's been talking to Lord Kawada. He wants to defeat Lord Tanka one and for all and rumour has it he may call in aid from Iga. I want to go on this mission. I want to do what I've been training for all these years." He can see the determination in her eyes.

He looks at his unusual best friend. Not only is she a girl, she is also a _gai-jin_ and on top of that, she's a fully trained ninja. They've been training together since they were nine. He was the first of the boys to talk to her when she joined them. At the time, her Japanese had been faltering and she was usually very quiet. She hadn't been unfriendly, just… reserved. He knows she's very pretty but he has never really thought of her in that way. Even if he had, she is the _shoinin's_, the ninja master's daughter. He has more sense than to go there. In fact he's often asked for her advice about girls and she dresses like a boy most of the time. She almost always wears her hair in a long tight braid, her skin is browner than his. She is slender and quite small in stature but he knows how toned she is. She is all muscle. He also knows how flexible and fast she is. Fast as the wind and she can outrun several of them. Her head is as quick as her feet. That's what actually makes her deadly. Although her technique is excellent she does not have the strength or height of the boys but she outsmarts her opponents in combat. It's like she can sense what their next move will be.

"Come on," she rises to her feet and stars walking down the hill again. He follows.

"San, why do you call him sensei? He's your dad."

She shrugs.

"He told me to when I started training and I don't know, we know what we are to each other. He is my only family but you know I had a family before him. When I was Santana Lopez." She smiles a little sadly. _Lopez_. The name tastes foreign in her mouth. She still talks to herself in Spanish sometimes. Just so that she won't forget what she was but she knows words are disappearing from her vocabulary. Instead she's perfectly fluent in Japanese and her handwriting is beautiful. Being left-handed is even convenient writing from the top down, from right to left.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I am so sorry for the long delay of this chapter. Real life collapsed during the summer and I'm only now crawling out of the debris. Anyway, here is chapter two. It's a bit shorter but I promise the next update won't take as long. Thanks for reading. Please leave a review. **

He gathers them in the great hall. They sit in rows. Takai is at the front of the room, facing them.

"As you know, Lord Kawada is warring with the Tanaka clan and we have always held ties to the Kawada clan. Kawada-sama has now asked for our aid. I have told him he will have it. Initially, we will move into the Kawada compound, learn more of the situation, protect the compound and eventually strike against Tanaka. We leave at dawn."

Santana feels her heart pounding in her chest. They're going on a mission! She's going to put her skills to the ultimate test. She feels adrenaline rush trough her body. She glances over to Koichi. His eyes are glowing. He's feeling what she's feeling.

Back in her room she opens her wardrobe and carefully takes out clothes to pack. She bites her lower lip as she reaches for the black hood. She's a _shinobi_ . Anyone who sees her wearing the hood will know this. She packs her utility belt, the black shirts and the trousers. She also packs kimonos. Takai prefers she dresses in women's clothes outside the village.

They set out at dawn, leaving in smaller groups, clothed as ordinary peasants. She has a bag slung over her shoulder and she carries a staff in her left hand. Takai walks a few steps ahead of her. He knows she can handle herself but he feels better keeping her by his side. She watches him walk. His back is straight and his gait is that of a young man's but he is old. His tan skin looks paper thin, his hair is white and she has noticed that he eats less. She knows better than to fuss with him though.

The sun is blazing out of the sky as they progress through the landscape. It reminds Santana of that time when she was a little girl, frightened and lonely in a foreign land. She remembers how strange the village looked. She remembers the odd sensation of sleeping on the floor on a _futon_, getting used to the salty flavours of soy sauce and _dashi._ It was ten years ago. She wonders what her mother looks like now. Does she have grey hair? Does she wonder where Santana is? Dejectedly she thinks her mother must think she is dead. Her poor mother. She thinks her daughter is dead! Juan and Jose, they're men now. She imagines they're handsome. Anna, her little sister. She was cute as a button. Is she a young beauty now, fending off suitors? Her papá. She closes her eyes for a moment.

She's brought from her reveries by the sudden sound of screams. Five men come running straight at them, screaming loudly.

"San-chan! Stay behind me!" Takai's voice is a little tense.

The five men are only twenty meters away from them, closing in fast. She can see they are masked and armed with knives and sickles. Robbers.

Koichi steps up in front of the group. She senses how tense he is. Takeshi has taken a defensive stance. Takai is just standing there, walking staff in hand.

"Give us your money! Don't try to be brave. Give us all your money and any valuables you're carrying!" barks one of the robbers.

"Just let us pass. We are poor farmers. We do not carry anything of worth and just want to be on our way," Koichi says calmly.

"Give us what you've got! We know you have something!"

Koichi makes a sudden move and steps behind the robber and hits him hard where the neck meets the shoulder. The robber's knees buckle and he falls sideways. Two of the robbers head straight for Santana but before they can reach her Takai has moved in between them and his protégé. It's like they never saw him move but suddenly one of the robbers is on the ground screaming. He is clutching his left shoulder with his right hand. The other is still moving towards Santana. As he is about to reach out his hand to grab her, she steps to the side, leaps up in the air and as she lands, her elbow connects with a point just below his neck. He makes no sound as he falls. She lands on her feet and follows up with a stance standing over him, ready to strike again. He stays still on the ground and after a while she takes a step back. She looks up at Takai who has been watching her closely. There is a faint trace of sadness in his eyes but also relief.

Takeshi drags the robbers to the side of the road and ties them together by the thumbs. That way it will take them a good while to break loose.

Santana and Takashi want to discuss what just happened. They want to talk about their moves and how easily they defeated the robbers but they dare not in the presence of Takai. They know he takes no pleasure in violence even though he has dedicated his life to making them deadly. She has tried to understand him and she thinks she knows how he reasons. She has tried to see things that way too and sometimes she thinks she does but right now she's on a high. A grown man came charging at her with intent to hurt her and she defeated him with ease. She's not just good in the _dojo_, she's actually good.

They walk all day and continue into the night. As they walk in silence they can hear the sound of the cicadas chirping in the tall grass and the rattling of animals moving in dark. Eventually they can see the town where Lord Kawada lives. The compound is located at the edge of the town, up on a small hill. The main building towers above them and there is a wall surrounding the perimeter. Santana has never seen such an impressive looking building before.

Takai leads them up the hill and makes their presence known at the gates. They are escorted by a group of serious looking men carrying katanas. Santana wonders if they are samurais. She assumes they are. They wear expensive clothes and their posture tells her that they are strong and confident. They are shown to their quarters while Takai is escorted to what seems to be the main building. Santana assumes he is going to meet with Lord Kawada.

Their quarters are spacious and comfortable. There are several rooms and a large bath section. There are many scrolls on the walls. Old poems and quotes. She recognises a few of them. Through the years, Takai has made sure she is well versed in poetry and the arts and she likes to sing.

Santana finds a spot in the large room she is to share with seven of the others. She puts her knapsack down on the floor and collects her futon. She neatly lays it out on the floor before taking a quick bath to get her body heat up again. Once she has tucked herself in under the heavy covers she allows her mind to wander. She's thinking about the assignment, about fighting men who will seek to kill her. She imagines how they will quietly celebrate their victory afterwards. Takai will not condone their celebration but she knows the young men will want to as much as she will. She knows she needs to stay sharp and alert the next day. She has to sleep, dawn is only a few hours away. She flips over to lie on her belly and within minutes she is asleep.

When Santana wakes the next day, most of the group is already up and getting ready to face the day. Young maids bring them hot soup and rice for breakfast. They quickly fold away their futons and eat their food. Then Takai gathers them in a room.

"Today, we are going to study. We must learn as much as we can about Tanaka, his compound and his men. When we strike, it is imperative that we are as prepared as possible. Tomorrow, I want two of you to travel to Kawada's town to scout and gather additional information but only after we have reviewed all information available to us at this time. Then we will know what we need further knowledge about."

Takai fetches a large scroll and hangs it on the wall. It is a map of Tanaka's compound. Systematically they go through the whole compound bit by bit. They memorise, analyse and review. They take their meals in the room and don't leave until long after sunset. Santana's head aches and her whole body craves rest. As she sinks into the bathtub she feels her body relax in the warm water and sighs contently. She looks at herself. She is slender and the contours of her muscles are visible. Her left forearm is slightly wider than her right since she is left-handed. She wonders what tests her body will be put to in the coming days. She wonders if anyone will ever see her like this, touch her naked body and caress it. She hopes so but she can't imagine what that someone would look like. It would certainly not be any of the young men she's been training with. She thinks of them all as her brothers and she can't imagine Takai would approve.

The next day they gather in the large room again.

"Like I said yesterday, I would like two of you to travel east to Tanaka's compound to gather more information. I have decided that Takashi and Santana are to go. There are horses ready for you at the stables. Your assignment is to complement our information in accordance with what we discussed last night. I want you back here by sunset tomorrow. Travel today during the day, rest when you get close and work at night."

Takashi and Santana rise, bow to Takai and leave the room to pack a small bag each. They're to travel in ordinary clothes but by the time they enter Tanaka's compound they will be in their _shinobi_ outfits. Hood and all. Then they go to the stables. Santana is given a tall beautiful chestnut coloured mare. Her fur is smooth and shiny and she has large kind eyes. Takashi is given an equally beautiful black mare.

They lead their horses out of the stables and mount. Santana's heart is pounding hard in her chest. They let the horses walk until they reach the end of town. Santana and Takeshi give each other a look and nod at each other. Then they shorten the reins and squeeze their heels into the sides of their horses.

"Yeeh haa!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This chapter has not been beta-read. Please forgive the mistakes. I know the story moves forward a little slowly but please bear with me. We'll get to know Brittany better in the next chapter.**

They ride as fast as they can through the open landscape. Santana enjoys feeling the magnificent animal move beneath her, the wind against her face and the sun on her skin. She has put her hair up and is dressed like a boy. The few people they pass on their way think they're two young men out for a ride. They are probably taken for young noblemen. No peasants could afford horses this strong and beautiful.

In the afternoon they reach the tiny village Takai has pointed out to them on a map. They leave their horses at a stable belonging to a _ryokan_ and then they proceed on foot, all the time trying to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. They walk for two hours until they are only a few kilometres from Tanaka's compound. There they find a secluded place in the woods where they camouflage themselves and lie down to rest. They take turns, one sleeping while the other rests. Santana goes through the map in her head while Takeshi snoozes next to her. She has memorised the layout of the entire compound. She and Taskashi have discussed entering the area by scaling the west wall and climbing up on the parapet. Then they're to work their way all the way to the opposite outer wall. They have gone over their plan throughout the day. They have the skills to improvise if need be but they'd rather not. This is their first mission. The fewer glitches the better.

As night falls they eat a few rice rolls and drink water. Then they change into their black clothes. Santana's hands tremble a little as she ties the black hood around her head. She takes a deep breath. It's alright to be nervous now. Once they reach the compound she has to concentrate to keep her nerves in check, all her sense sharp and to be all she's trained to be. As they reach the wall they unfasten their _kaginawas_ and throw them up onto the parapet. There is a faint clanging sound as the metal hooks land. Santana pulls the rope to make sure the _kaginawa _is fastened properly. Then she begins to climb. She ascends as fast as she can. They're vulnerable while they climb and they do not want to be spotted.

Soon they find themselves up on the stone clad parapet. Silently they move along the wall and make their way down onto a small courtyard. They are now inside enemy territory but they can't afford to dwell on that thought. Instead they focus completely on the task at hand and begin explore the compound, gathering as much information as possible. As they are about to enter the main building they decide to split up and meet back up on the west wall again.

Santana sneaks inside like a black shadow. She moves swiftly along a corridor and enters a great hall when she suddenly hears footsteps. Someone is quickly approaching the hall with confident steps. She presses herself against the wall, partially shielded from view by a large cupboard. Her left hand is on her _wakizashi_ and she is ready to strike. She can see him now. He appears to be a guard on routine patrol. He comes closer but hasn't seen her. Instead he walks right past her and leaves the hall into the corridor she came from. Santana exhales slowly.

Methodically she goes through the buildings, taking mental note of everything. She comes across a few more guards but manages to avoid being discovered. Most of the rooms are empty as the inhabitants of the compound sleep unaware of the trespasser. She finally emerges out onto a roof overlooking a yard. Well hidden in the shadows she allows herself to sit down and rest for a moment. In her mind she retraces her steps and the information she has gathered.

"We have him!" a loud voice penetrates the night. "We have the spy!"  
There are more voices speaking loudly and excitedly.

Moments later she sees a group of men come into view in the yard. In the middle is a figure covered by a large net. She knows it's Takashi. She doesn't have to see his face to know. Her heart races and she feels her pulse in her temples. Her thoughts are in disarray. This was not supposed to happen! How could this happen? She knows they are going to keep him under close guard and it would be impossible to defeat his watchers alone. Still… She also knows the men are going to try to make Takashi talk. Her Takashi, her best friend. He would never talk, that's not who he is. Instead he would silently let them torture him to death. No! No! No! That is not an option. Takai would have told her to leave him. A _shinobi_ knows what the job means and what the risks are. Still she doubts Takai would have abandoned his best friend in this situation. He would have thought of a clever plan and freed his friend.

She tries to compose herself and gather her thoughts. She forces herself to breathe deeply and slowly, letting the oxygen flow to her brain and muscles. Before she leaves her hiding place she checks all her equipment and makes sure everything is ready to use. Then she sneaks across the roof and follows after Takashi and his capturers.

They hold him in a hut at the edge of the compound. He is in a large wooden cage. Four men are taunting him. Apparently they have decided not to interrogate him tonight. Santana draws a sigh of relief. She hears one of the men say "Don't forget he's a fucking _shinobi_ so be on your guard. Don't stand too close to him. And there could be more. They often work in pairs. My guess is that his partner is on his way back to their master, like a rat scurries home. Anyway, we'll be right outside."

She knows she has to take out the first two guards without alerting the two guards inside. Otherwise she will have to fight all four at the same time and the risk that one of them calls for further reinforcement is too great. At the same time she is wondering if Takashi wants to be rescued. He has compromised the mission and because of his mistake Tanaka will know someone is spying on him. He will raise security and be prepared for attacks. Takashi will feel terribly ashamed. It will be up to Takai to restore his confidence.

Santana has her plan ready. Carefully she moves closer to the guards. She sizes them up and assesses their height and weight. Then she makes a dash towards them. Just as she is upon the nearest guard, she leaps up and the overside of her right foot connects with his head. The very next second she turns in the air and she grabs the garrotting string with both hands before looping it around the other guard's neck. Then she pulls tight. Her biceps flex and her knuckles turn white. She's thankful she doesn't have to look at his face. It doesn't take long but it feels like an eternity before the man falls and joins his fellow guard on the ground. Santana stills and listens. There are no sounds of footsteps.

The next step is trickier. Opening the door will alert the guards inside and she doesn't know where they're positioned. She has to improvise completely. She takes another deep breath as she puts her hand on the handle. Then she pushes the door open steps inside and closes the door behind her. It takes her a second to scan the room. One of the men is standing by the cage, the other is sitting in the left far corner. She draws her _wakizashi_ and lunges for the standing man first. She sees him reaching for the hilt of his sword so she crouches down a little and spins around in order to make herself a more difficult target. As she swirls closer she stretches her left arm and the shiny blade cuts through skin, sinews and flesh. Warm blood drenches her hand and there is a sickly sweet smell in the air. The other man is on his feet now. He has taken a defensive stance and is armed with a sword. Slowly she takes a few steps closer to him, trying to read his movements. He's waiting for her to strike first. She would like to disarm him. After that it's easier so she lunges for his right side and her hand hits hard at the top of his shoulder to paralyse the arm. There is a muffled thud as the sword hits the floor but his left hand is in the air and he strikes her across the head. It's not a full on blow but it still hurts and for a moment she becomes slightly disoriented. He pulls his arm back to hit her again and doing so he exposes his chest. His eyes widen in surprise and pain as he feels her thin dagger blade being driven in between his ribs. She staggers backwards away from him.

She allows herself a few moments to compose herself after the fight. She hasn't had time to think about her actions and now is not the time either. She steels herself and blocks out her emotions. She knows she will have to process what she's done but that will have to come later.

When she finally turns around and looks at Takashi he meets her gaze with expressionless eyes. He knows he's battling with feelings of guilt and gratitude. Quickly she opens the cage and he springs out. Carefully she opens the door, making sure there is no surprise attack outside the hut. Then they move swiftly in the shadows towards the west wall. They lower themselves towards the ground so fast they feel the friction burn through the cloths they use to protect their hands. Once on the ground they run. Santana feels the air sting as she draws shallow ragged breathes as she presses on. She doesn't know for how long they run but they want to put as much distance between themselves and the Tanaka compound as possible before they rest.

Eventually they are forced to rest. Their bodies simply won't carry them further. Shielded by shrubbery they lie down on the ground to rest. Fighting to gain control over her breathing, Santana stares up at the stars. She and Takashi still haven't spoken. She knows he wants to tell her she should have left him in the cage but at the same time he is grateful to be alive. He would not have feared death but wants to be alive.

A little before dawn they find the place where they left their clothes. They get changed and continue on to the village to fetch their horses. To their great advantage, Tanaka's men will most likely be searching for a man travelling alone or two men. However, they prefer not to be seen as Santana is a _gai-jin_ and easy to recognise and describe.

The journey back to the Kawada compound is uneventful, something both Santana and Takashi are thankful for. Exhausted they leave their horses at the stable and walk back towards their quarters. A group of young women pass them on the path. They are dressed in beautiful kimonos and their hair is done up in intricate beautiful dos. Santana and Takashi can only see the women from behind but they both notice that one of them is clearly taller than the others and her hair is golden blond like ripe wheat.


	4. Chapter 4

He is standing in the garden looking at a pear tree. She knows he can hear her approaching but he doesn't turn around. He just waits. He also knows it will be hard for her to have the conversation that is about to ensue. She stops a few steps behind him.

"I think this year will be good for pears," he states as if he is talking to himself. She stays quiet. "It has been a mild winter and there are plenty of flowers. Let us hope the summer will bring enough sunshine."

"_Let us hope we will all live to see the summer," _she thinks to herself.

It is the first time they are alone since she and Takashi came back from the reconnaissance mission the day before. They have recounted for their findings and with a heavy heart, Takashi has told them of his capture.

"It was foolhardy to rescue him. They could have captured you too and we would never have known what information you had gathered and they would have known their security has been breached all the same."

"_Hai sensei_." She is torn between shame and a sense of accomplishment. She also knows that he is covertly scolding her for taking risks because he loves her. If she had been captured and killed…

Takai turns around and looks at her.

"But I know you. And I knew this was a possible outcome. Not one I had hoped for, I admit, but a possible one. Takashi has lost face and you know as well as I do that it will only be restored if he gets to redeem himself honourably."

She nods. Takai will instruct the group to treat Takashi as if he is not there. It will be what he prefers and he is after all a man without a face. This will make it easier for Takashi to handle his situation but Takai knows it will only last so long. The poor boy must be let to regain his face or he will most likely kill himself but knowing the opportunity may present itself will still give him hope.

"Santana, do not let the souls of the four men whose lives you took, haunt you. We all play our parts in the universe. They played theirs, you play yours. Do not take pride in taking the lives of others. But do not be ashamed or remorseful either. We do what we do." He looks at her with a sincerity that leaves her no choice but to trust him implicitly. He nods slightly. Then he turns around again and says "Do you recognise this particular kind of pear blossom?"

She looks at the white and pale pink flowers. They are very pretty but she cannot tell for sure if they are the same as home in the village. "No, I can't tell for sure what kind they are," she admits. She watches him as he walks closer to the tree.

"_Otosan_…" They both know that the formal conversation is over and she uses the word "father" that she only calls him by sometimes when they are alone.

"Who is the yellow-haired girl? Is she a _gai-jin_, a foreigner, too? I haven't seen people with yellow hair since I was little. Since before…"

He nods. "Yes, she is a _gai-jin_. There is a Dutch tradesman who lives in the compound. She is his daughter. From what I understand they came to our shores some years ago." He understands that she must be curious. They have never come across other foreigners before and while Santana is Japanese in so many ways, she is also something else. Something he doesn't fully grasp and has never really tried to. He has seen maps of the earth and he knows there are other people who look and sound different, much more different than the Chinese or the people on the Korean peninsula.

Santana's head is full of questions. She wants to know more about the girl. Did they also come on a ship? Can she tell Santana about the Occident? Does she speak Spanish? But she is too shy to just seek out the girl to talk to her. And it would feel unprofessional. They are there on a mission, commissioned by Lord Kawada.

They spend the next few days training and planning. They also meet with some of Kawada's men, exchanging information and plans. When they finally strike, it will be a joint effort where both groups will play their own vital parts.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Willem puts his cup down and looks at his daughter.

"I don't quite like the direction in which things are moving around here at the moment. Kawada is acting restless and the rivalry with Tanaka is escalating. That and the fact that we have spent several years here already, makes me wonder if it isn't time to think about returning to Europe."

The blond young woman looks up from her poetry writing.

"Why _vader_? Surely no one expects you to take part in whatever dealings Kawada has with Tanaka? And besides, I like it here. I like my friends and I like the things I do. And the voyage here was boring at best and at times outright horrendous." She sighs and dips the brush in the ink well. With confident brushstrokes the slender pale hand creates intricate characters on the thin rice paper.

"I know _liefje_ but it is the only way for us to get home. I know you have taken to the ways of this country but you do know that our real home is in Rotterdam, not here. And my dear, I want you to marry a nice Dutch boy. The Japanese are our friends but we are different kinds with different ways." He smiles at her.

"I never said I want to marry a Japanese boy, _vader_. I just like it here. All the boys here think about is their swords and their horses and hunting. They are certainly not the reason I want to stay."

A wave of relief washes over Willem. Even if he does want Britt to marry a nice young man sometime, he is quite happy to let that happen later rather sooner. It feels like it was just the other day she came running to him with the first tooth she lost. He face had shown both pride and fear as she opened her mouth to display the gap where the tiny tooth had been. He smiled at the memory. Now, she is eighteen years old and as beautiful as a lily. She has her mother's blue eyes and blond hair. With some pride he acknowledges that she has his own athletic build. He wishes Anna could have seen her. She would have been as proud of their daughter has he is. The hole in his heart is still as big as ever but maybe he has gotten used to it a little bit by now. Maybe it is more of a hole than a gaping bleeding wound. It's already been six years since the fever took his beloved wife, the love of his life. He wonders if he has given Brittany a happy childhood despite the loss of her mother. He has always put her first and tried to be a good father. And she's such a good daughter. She's merry and pretty. She studies hard and she is kind to others. He wants to get her home before she becomes too attached to Japan. Their stay here was never supposed to be this long. When the opportunity to travel presented itself shortly after Anna's death, he was rather keen on leaving, an attempt to escape the grief and the pain. Futile, as it may have been.

"_Vader_, who are the new people in the compound? I've seen groups of strangers. Young men mostly. Are they soldiers?"

"I believe they have been hired by lord Kawada. For the security reasons, I'm told. I think lord Kawada just wants to feel safe. They are _shinobis_, ninjas."

"What is a ninja, _vader?"_

"They are hired mercenaries, I suppose you could call them but they are not ordinary swordsmen. They specialise is clandestine operations, trained to kill silently. They are experts with poisons and special weapons. They dress in black and wear hoods so only their eyes show. Some say they can disappear in the shadows. Some say they can fly. That is of course nonsense. They come from the regions of Iga and Koga. That's all I know."

Brittany looks at her father. The notion of the mysterious hooded killers scares her a little but intrigues her too.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

The two men look at each other before raising their cups of rice wine to their mouths. Takai notes how smooth the wine is. It has an almost oily quality to it, a round body and exquisite aroma. Wealth has its advantages, he thinks to himself.

Silently he studies lord Kawada. They have known each other for a long time. They are perhaps not what one might call friends but something akin to it. Kawada frequently used Takai's services while he was making a name for himself as a young and coming warlord. He would send Takai on solo missions, often to sabotage things for his enemies. This usually meant killing strategically selected people, the son of a rival, his favourite mistress, the samurai most vital to the morale of the troops. Sometimes, the rival himself. Takai always delivered. He was fast, efficient, never got caught and one hundred per cent loyal to the person who commissioned him. Kawada had not been surprised when he found out Takai had been appointed shoenin, master, of the Iga clan. What had surprised him a lot more, were the rumours that Takai had adopted a gai-jin girl and trained her to be a _shinobi_. Surely it was an unsuitable calling for a woman.

"Seven more days. Then we strike against the snake Tanaka. Your men and my men. You had better not screw up this time Takai. No glitches. The son of a slug knows we are coming but on the other hand, he knew we were coming anyway. It was just a matter of time."

"Yes, Kawada-sama. Over the next few days, we will inform your men of the layout, strengths and weaknesses of the Tanaka compound. Kawada-sama, do you want Tanaka dead or captured alive?"


	5. Chapter 5

There is noise. Loud noise. She can't make out what's causing it. Her head doesn't want to register anything, it wants to stay asleep. Her body feels heavy and she's not quite conscious.

"Up! Get up! The compound is under attack! Get up! Gather out in the yard." She doesn't know who is shouting but suddenly she is wide awake. In an instant she is on her feet scrambling for her clothes.

Someone puts a hand on her arm.

"_Shinobi_ clothes San-chan. Don't forget the hood." It's Takashi. There is a trace of excitement in his voice. This could be his chance to make himself useful and regain face. Or die in combat, an honourable death.

A few minutes later they're out in the yard. Takai looks at them. She can see the fatigue in his eyes. She notes that he is not dressed in his usual loose fitting clothes, he is wearing a _shinobi_ outfit. She has never seen him in one before.

"Kawada is under attack. Enter the main building. Protect the people there. Avoid fights out in the open if possible. Full daylight is still an hour away. Let Kawada's men defend the buildings from the outside. Kawada's family, his closest men and guests are in the main building. Many of them cannot fend for themselves. Koichi and Hiroshi, you come with me to lord Kawada. The rest of you, go!"

The group of people, all dressed in black, pour away from the yard. Some run in small groups, some by themselves. Soon they are all swallowed up by the shadows.

She runs quickly but not too fast. She cannot tire herself out and she needs to be able to keep her breathing in check. She wants to run with Takashi but she realises he needs to work by himself. She hopes they will be a team again on their next mission. She runs past a storage building that has been set ablaze. Thick black smoke rises towards the sky. She can hear the sound of voices shouting and screaming. A few servants are scrambling around, carrying buckets of water.

Within minutes she reaches the main building. It's a large building in three floors. She enters through one of the side doors. She knows most of the group has reached the building by now, yet she sees no one.

There is noise upstairs but she continues through the corridors on the ground floor. The one she is in leads towards the west wing. She moves along silently, listening hard for any sounds nearby. That's when she hears the scream. It's loud and shrill, clearly a woman's voice. Santana sprints down the corridor opening doors on the way, always ready to strike, always finding the room empty until she reaches the last door. It's the _gai-jin_ girl! Santana cannot let the intruder kill the girl with the blond hair. She wants to talk to her, ask her things. She hasn't figured out how or when but she needs this girl to stay alive. Her instincts and training take over. Even though he is standing so close to the girl, Santana never hesitates. The star shaped piece of metal flies through the air with a faint swooshing sound. She has spent a lot of time learning how to prepare the poisons. The one she's dipped the tips of the _shuriken_ in paralyzes instantly and makes the heart stop. Santana feels herself relax a little when she sees his body react to the venomous substances working their way through his bloodstream.

The blond girl just stares at her with those bright blue eyes. Santana wants to stay but she knows she can't. The _gai-_jin will have to cope by herself from here. There is more to do out there. As soon as she is sure the man is dead, she turns around and leaves, running through the corridor again towards the main part of the building. She can hear the sound of fighting and runs to aid her friends.

In a large room she finds Yusuke fighting a tall man will a long sword, a _dai katana_. Yusuke is using his _wakizashi_, a shorter sword. There are sparks when the blades meet. Both swords are razor sharp and can cut through bone. Even the slightest mistake will most likely have fatal consequences. The two men are deeply concentrated and short of breath from the strain. It almost looks like they are engaged in a bizarre deadly dance. Santana knows Yusuke isn't in this fight to show off his skills, he just wants it to be over with so he can move on. She sprints the last distance towards the combatants, her knife drawn. The samurai knows he can't let his attention stray from Yusuke for even a few seconds, his opponent is too good. It would mean death. That in turn means he can't defend himself against Santana who leaps up from behind and slits his throat with one swift move. The man staggers forward before falling on his face. There is a lot of blood. Yusuke nods at her.

Together they methodically search through the ground floor. They encounter three more men but they work effectively and in perfect synch. The pair doesn't even need to communicate verbally. They find the stairs and run up to the next floor. A familiar voice speaks from the shadows.

"Santana! Yusuke! Since you're here I take it the ground floor is free of intruders. I think most of the attackers never made it to the house. Instead, they are fighting Kawada's men outside." Koichi steps out from the shadows. "Sensei has moved Kawada to a room on the top floor. We are to make sure none of the attackers reach that floor. We have secured this floor. We will let Kawada's people take care of business outside the building." Santana and Yusuke nod. As they look around more carefully they discover several more Iga-men.

They stay where they are for hours. Occasionally they patrol the floor and check on Takai and Kawada. They have gathered the rest of the residents in a large room where they sit huddled together in groups. The fighting sounds eventually fade outside and a voice they recognise as belonging to one of Kawada's closest lieutenants calls from the bottom of the staircase.

"Tsukahara here! I'm coming up!" As he reaches the top of the stairs he looks around at the _shinobis_.

"We have fought them off. There weren't that many. We've taken a few prisoners and we'll see what information we can get out of them. We still have some men patrolling the compound but you can stand down for the time being. We can manage from here."

The _shinobis_ return to their quarters. They're all tired from lack of sleep and the fighting. Takai tells them to eat and get some rest, they will debrief later.

Takai spends most of the day in meetings with Kawada and some his closest men. One of the prisoners has talked. As expected, Tanaka ordered the attack. Takai tells them over dinner. She is pleased to see Takashi has taken his seat at the table again.

"You should have seen Takashi my friends." Hiroshi is gushing about Takashi's performance, how he rescued some members of Kawada's family from a gang of Tanaka's men. "He fought like a tiger and outsmarted them all!" Cups of wine are raised in a toast to Takashi. Santana feels great relief. She knows they all do but Takashi is her best friend. She is happy he got a chance to restore face. She will ask him about it later when they are alone.

As they are sitting at the dinner table one of Kawada's men enters the room. He walks over to Takai and whispers something. Takai looks at him. Santana can tell he's considering what the man said.

"Very well," he tells the man. "Wait here while Santana gets changed." The man nods.

"Santana, you have been called to the main building. First, I'd like you to go change into proper clothes."

She looks at him but he says nothing further. She gets up and bows before him.

"_Hai sensei."_ Why on earth has she been called to the main building? Back in her room she undresses quickly and brings a _kimono_ from the wardrobe. She puts her hair up into a beautiful do before dressing in the long silk garment. When she returns, she looks nothing like the girl who just sat there dressed in a peasant boy's outfit.

Takai nods at her and the man curtly says "Follow me please."

She is led up to the large house and along the corridor she ran through in the dark. She remembers how she felt, hearing the scream and sprinting as fast as she could. This time she walks with hesitation in her step. The man stops and slides a door open. He makes a gesture towards the opening and she understands she is to enter.

Inside the room there is a man sitting on a low chair. His hair is brown and his eyes are blue. He is clearly a _gai-_jin. Santana and the man stare at each other.

"I'm sorry. There must have been a mistake." The man speaks in heavily accented Japanese.

"I do not understand. I was just asked to come to the main building. Who were you looking for, sir?" Santana looks down at the floor.

"I asked to see the man who saved my daughter this morning. There must have been a misunderstanding. I still do not speak Japanese very well. I am sorry for wasting your time. I shall ask the man outside to escort you back to your quarters."

Santana bows again before the brown haired man.

"I am who you are looking for, sir. I am not a man but I am the one who saved your daughter."

"What? That is not possible! My daughter told me she was saved by a _shinobi_, one of Takai's assassins, not by a girl."

"I am sorry to disappoint. I am however a _shinobi_ of Iga and I rescued your daughter by killing the man who attacked her. I was doing my job." She is still not looking at him.

"But how could a girl do that?" He sounds baffled. Santana looks up.

"It is what I have been trained to do. I am Takai-sensei's daughter."

The man smiles at her.

"Well well well, you learn something new every day. To think a pretty girl like you could be such a deadly warrior. In any case, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I owe you everything."

Santana blushes slightly.

"Tell me, you do not look Japanese. You look European, like me. How is that?"

"Sir, I was born in Europe, in Spain but I came to Japan when I was eight years old."

"But you tell me Takai is your father. I do not understand."

Images of the ship flash before Santana's eyes. Her father standing on deck, smiling at her. The storm. The sea turning black and the waves washing over the ship.

"I came to these shores on a ship. I sailed with my father. There was a storm and the ship run aground. I.. I was the only survivor. Takai-sensei found me and I have lived with him ever since."

He looks at her with astonishment.

"_Hablas español_?"

"_Sì_."

"_Cómo te llamas_, what is your name?" he asks in Spanish. She can tell it is not his native tongue. It's strange to hear Spanish spoken again. It's both comforting and saddening.

"Santana Lopez Takai." She gives her name the European way. Normally she would answer with her surname first.

"Forgive me for asking, but how come you speak Spanish? Where are you from?" She can't help herself. Her curiosity is too great.

"I am Dutch. We sailed here on a Spanish ship, my daughter and I. There was plenty of time to learn some Spanish but I am afraid I am not fluent in the language." He has switched back to Japanese. He looks at her with friendly eyes.

"Let me fetch my daughter. She would like to thank you too." He rises from the chair and leaves the room. Santana is thinking he seems kind. Nervously she waits to see the blond girl again.

He returns after a short while with the girl in tow. He smiles at her.

"Forgive me, I never introduced myself. My name is Willem, Willem Pierce and this is my daughter Brittany."

Santana stands up and bows deeply before the two. She feels shy.

"You saved my life?" Brittany looks at Santana with wonder in her eyes.

"I killed the man who attacked you." She feels embarrassed and intimidated by the piercing look from those blue eyes.

"I don't know how to thank you."

"You don't have to thank me."

"Yes we do. We want to thank you señorita Lopez for coming here tonight and for what you did for us this morning." Willem holds out his hand. Santana shakes it. She hasn't shaken anybody's hand since she was a little girl. Brittany hasn't stopped looking at her since she entered the room.

Santana bows before Willem and then before Brittany before she leaves. She can feel Brittany's eyes on her.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

The following day they train out in a field by the compound. The temperature is unusually high for the time of year and there is a sheen of sweat on everyone's brow. Santana is practicing unarmed combat with Yusuke when she catches sight of a tall blond figure walking towards them on the path.

Bam! Yusuke's elbow connects with her shoulder in a painful blow.

"Ouch!"

"You're not concentrating. You should have seen that coming!"

Santana rubs her shoulder but she's not looking at Yusuke. Instead her eyes are glued on the girl approaching them. Yusuke turns around and sees Brittany too.

"Is that the _gai-jin_ girl you rescued yesterday morning?" he asks.

"Yes. What is she doing here?" Yusuke shrugs and takes a defensive stance. He raises a hand and makes a beckoning motion towards Santana. "Ok. Come at me."

She studies him a second before taking three long quick steps towards him, ducking down at the last moment, shooting out a foot she makes a sweeping round kick that catches both his legs. He is brought off balance and before he can steady himself she has her forearm against his neck in a vice like grip. They are both panting hard and she slowly lets go of him.

"Damn! You're so fast!" He grins at her.

"I'm glad she's so fast." The girl smiles at them. Startled Santana looks up.

"Brittany-san. What are you doing here?" Santana stares at the girl.

"I came to find you. I heard you were training here and I wanted to come and look. If you don't mind."

Santana feels self-conscious. She looks down at herself. She is wearing worn trousers that come down to a little below her knees and a short sleeved shirt. She has a cloth tied around her head to keep her hair out of the way and she's sweaty and dirty.

"I will go drink some water while you two talk." Yusuke stars walking towards a water barrel that has been placed under a tree at the edge of the field.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you! That man… I've never been so afraid in my life. If you hadn't been there!" The words pour out of Brittany. She smiles at Santana. "You were so brave. How did you learn to do that?"

Santana is not going to tell Brittany that she has been thinking about her too since yesterday. In fact, she couldn't sleep last night because she was pondering about the strange blue eyed girl, imagining things about her life, what Holland looks like, how she spends her days here in Kawada's compound and all sorts of things.

"I was just doing my job," she mumbles without looking at Brittany. She is blushing profusely.

"So can I watch you train?" The blond girl sounds hopeful.

"Sure."

For the rest of the training session Santana uses most of her concentration to keep herself from looking over to the blond girl. And when she fails to keep her eyes from wandering off, Brittany is always smiling and waving at her. Santana has never taken so much beating in her life as she does that morning.


	6. Chapter 6

It becomes a common occurrence, Brittany watching the Iga group train. Santana tries not to let it distract her but manages poorly. She's trying to work out how to act around Brittany. She wants to seem casual, friendly by all means but not keen or too interested in the blond girl in any way. When she thinks about it she reckons she is curious. Very curious. Intrigued even. There are so many questions she want so ask but when they talk it's mainly Brittany gushing about how brave and skilled the _shinobis_ are and she asks Santana questions about the moves and equipment. Santana's answers are usually short and she finds herself squirming a lot of the time.

The days go by. They train and plan and get acquainted with Kawada's men. One morning as they're walking from the training field, a runner comes sprinting along the path. Out of breath he bows deeply before Takai and pants "Takai-sensei! There has been a terrible accident! Lord Kawada's horse was frightened by a snake and Lord Kawada was thrown off. He is severely injured and is lying unconscious up in the main building. Tsukahara-san has called an emergency meeting and he is requesting your presence."

"Of course." Takai turns to the others and bows briefly before hastily following the young runner.

Santana looks at Takashi. "What do you think that means?"

Takashi shrugs. "I suppose if Lord Kawada dies, our mission will be cancelled. But let us hope he will recover."

She nods.

The evening is filled with speculations and uncertain predictions of the future. Santana doesn't know what to make of it all. What she does know is that she likes being here. She likes being on a mission, working towards the strike against Tanaka. She likes the camaraderie and sense of a common goal. Also there are few chores that need to be done here. And then there is Brittany, the girl she would like to get to know but doesn't know how to.

Takai returns as they are having their evening tea.

"Lord Kawada was badly hurt," he tells them. "He has been floating in and out of unconsciousness since the accident. There is a medic by his side at all times but the outcome is uncertain. This means that the attack on Tanaka will not happen in two days as planned. It may still happen but Tsukahara wants to know what Lord Kawada wants before striking. In the meantime we will remain here. If Lord Kawada's health doesn't improve over the next few weeks we will return to Iga, possibly to return here at a later point."

Santana ponders the news. She has every reason to hope for Kawada's recovery. She knows the group is divided in their wishes. Some want to return home as soon as possible. Yusuke has a young wife and a baby at home. Several others have loved ones waiting for them in the village. They are dedicated to their work but if they are not needed here, they want to return to Iga as soon as possible. Others are like Santana, excited about the mission, enjoying life in the Kawada compound and would prefer to stay. A few of the young single men have tried to woo women in the compound. Some with more success than others.

Santana excuses herself and withdraws for her evening bath. Since she is the only female in the group, she has her own bathroom. The men share a large communal bath.

She's always enjoyed bathing. She finds the hot water soothing and it's always been a place for her to gather her thoughts and reflect. She has bruises on her body from the intense training. Her shoulder is still a little sore from the blow she received from Yusuke. As she inspects her body she hears steps approaching and suddenly Brittany appears in the door.

"Good evening! I was told I'd find you here." Brittany smiles.

Santana has grown up around boys and men. It's always just been her and Takai in the small house they live in. She has always been given privacy to bathe and change. Of course she has been to bath houses but it is very different being naked around strangers who casually go about their business compared to having a fully clothed person walk in on you naked. Santana pulls up her knees to her chin to feel a little less exposed.

"Err.. Hi," she says and looks at her feet. Brittany seems unfazed.

"My father and I were wondering if you might join us for lunch tomorrow. We are both most grateful for how you saved me and father thinks it would be nice if we get to know each other better, seeing we're the only Europeans here."

Despite her interest in Brittany's background and Europe, Santana never really thinks of herself as European. She feels at home here. This is where she grew up. This is where she has been educated and the ways of those around her are familiar and seem natural to her. Europe is but a distant memory.

"Thank you. Please tell your father that I humbly accept his invitation." She expects Brittany to leave but the blond girl stays in the same spot. Santana looks up at her face. The blue eyes are watching her. They seem to sparkle.

"Father tells me you are from Spain. Most of the people on the ship we came over with are Spanish. The chef cooked all sorts of Spanish food. Tortilla is nice."

Suddenly Santana can taste the mild potato and egg dish on her tongue. Her mother used to make it all the time. It was one of José's favourite dishes.

"Do you miss western food? I don't really. Maybe apple pie but that's about it. I like the food here. Don't you?"

"No I don't miss the food. I like the food here too." She smiles.

"What's your favourite food?" Brittany looks expectant.

"I like soba noodles and _yakitori_ chicken skewers best," she says and immediately feels self-conscious but Brittany just smiles at her.

"I'll ask father to see if we can have chicken skewers tomorrow. I have tutoring in the morning." Brittany frowns. "My tutor is nice but sometimes I find the lessons boring. Do you get tutored?"

"Not really. Well, my father has taught me about poetry and stuff but I am not a learned person." Santana suddenly wishes she was more feminine and refined. She feels like she mainly resembles a peasant boy more than anything else. Brittany looks so graceful.

"Oh I'm not a learned person either. I like poetry and all but mainly I just want to dance." She throws her head back and laughs at herself while she twirls around. Santana thinks her laughter sounds like a string of glistening sweet water pearls. She wants to watch Brittany dance.

"Well, I mustn't keep you and father is expecting me back. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch then. _Hasta mañana!" _She flashes Santana another smile before she turns towards the door and leaves.

"_Sayonara," _Santana calls after her.

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The next morning is the slowest ever. Santana participates in a planning meeting but it's hard to focus on what the others are saying. Her mind keeps wandering. What will she wear? Dread and anticipation run through her body in a twisted mix that leaves her confused and nervous.

At midday she excuses herself and goes back to the sleeping quarters to get changed. She washes herself carefully. Back in her bedroom she looks through her kimonos and after deliberating with herself for a while she chooses a beautiful purple and blue one. The embroidered flowers and birds are astoundingly detailed. She dresses with care. She wears a narrow but tasteful sash, an _obi,_ not a wide fancy one like the samurais' daughters and wives wear. She puts her hair up in a simple but nice hairstyle. She hopes she looks proper and pretty enough.

Up at the main building she is shown in to Brittany's father's room. She is unsure of how to address him. Pierce-san? Señor Pierce? Willem-san? Surely not Willem-san.

Willem and Brittany are sitting on cushions at a low table on the tatami floor. A side table is covered with bowls of different sizes and the most amazing smell of food fills the room. Santana realises how hungry she is.

Willem rises to his feet and walks towards her.

"Santana! How good of you to join us." He smiles and shakes her hand again. "Might I say, you look very pretty today, doesn't she Britt?"

"She does indeed." Brittany smiles with her whole face when she looks at Santana who instantly remembers that the last time Brittany saw her, she was completely naked.

"Please, take a seat." Willem gestures towards a cushion next to Brittany. "Britt, will you serve us please, my dear."

There is so much food. There is steamed omelette, grilled fish, soup, rice, several kinds of pickled vegetables and of course, _yakitori_ chicken skewers.

"_Itadakimasu!"_ Willem happily calls out and they tuck in.

The food is delicious. The fish is succulent and beautifully seasoned. The pickles have just the right texture and the flavour is perfect. The chicken is cooked to the perfection and the sweet sauce is wonderful. Santana enjoys every bite. Still she only manages to eat a little. Her nerves make her stomach churn and she doesn't want to seem gluttonous. She can feel Brittany's eyes on her and it makes it even harder to eat.

Willem happily converses about life at the compound, ways of the Japanese and the weather. He's friendly and he seems curious about her background. It makes her a little uneasy. She's not even sure how she feels about her background. She doesn't think of it very often any more. She wishes he would realise that she doesn't particularly want to talk about it. Still she answers politely as best she can.

Brittany doesn't add any questions of her own on the subject but Santana can tell she listens attentively to the answers.

Throughout the meal, Santana steals glances at Brittany. She watches how graceful she is, how slender her long fingers are and that mesmerising blue colour of her eyes.

After the meal Santana excuses herself. She has to get back to the group and continue training. She hurries back to the sleeping quarters, recounting the conversation in her head. What did she say? What did Brittany say? How did Brittany look when she looked at her? Did she seem interested in any way or just polite? Santana decides Brittany does seem interested somehow. Maybe. Surely? Santana wants to get Brittany by herself so that she might find the courage to ask her questions. She didn't feel comfortable enough with both Brittany and Willem there. They were two and she was only one. She has an idea of how to get to see Brittany but isn't sure she is brave enough to follow through.

She quickly sheds the kimono and gets into black trousers that come midway down her calves and a loose black shirt. Then she runs off to re-join the group.

**A/N:** Snail pace progress. I know but I don't want to rush them. Sorry about such an actionless chapter. At least now Santana will probably get more time together with Brittany at the Kawada compound. Don't worry, in the next chapter, Santana figures out a way to be alone with Brittany.


	7. Chapter 7

How do you get someone alone without seeming overly eager to be alone with them? Santana has one idea but would it be too brazen? She needs to talk to Takai. She has always turned to him for advice. She appreciates his patience and wisdom. He's never yelled at her, he's never belittled her or reacted rashly. Yet she doesn't want to tell him everything she's thinking right now. She decides to talk to him in the evening.

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He's sitting by his table when she enters. She watches as his confident brush strokes spread black ink on the think white paper. His handwriting is beautiful, bold and expressive. Each character looks like a complete piece by itself, yet they all come together to create a harmony and covey a story that they can only tell combined.

"Come sit," he says without looking up. "Why is there trouble and hesitation in your step San-chan?"

"Because I want to talk to Brittany father but I don't know how to create an opportunity to do so in peace and quiet. I don't know her. But I want to ask her things about the voyage here, about Europe and such matters." She looks down into the table and fidgets with the edge of her trousers. "She's so pretty with her long blond hair."

He can hear she has more to say so he remains silent. He could tell her she is very pretty too. He could say things to boost her self-confidence but he knows she doesn't want to hear it at the moment. After a long pause she continues. He listens carefully and occasionally he nods.

"I will arrange it. Don't worry. She'll like it and you'll have time to talk to her." He smiles reassuringly at her. She's still not convinced but she is going to go through with it anyway.

"Santana, get a good night's rest. Don't come to the practice field in the morning. Take some time to yourself, prepare what you need to prepare, go for a walk and just be. There is time for everything." She knows he means it. She will do what he said. He is a meticulous man. He understands her need to prepare. Even if this not a formal thing and the appearance of it is supposed to be very casual, he knows it means a great deal to Santana. To his knowledge she has not been like this about anyone before. He wonders if he has not realised how much her background means to her. Has he neglected that part of her? He will never find out.

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Santana gets up early in the morning and goes for a run with Takashi. They run through fields, along the river and back up through the woods. The air is still cool and fresh and Santana enjoys the feeling of her muscles moving and pushing her forward.

Afterwards she washes and dresses in a plain but beautiful kimono. She puts her hair up and leaves the house. Taking the path down to the town she doesn't draw much attention to herself. The few people who actually look at her and realise she is a foreigner usually stare a little before continuing whatever they were doing. She makes her way to the local temple. She has only visited the temple once since they arrived here. She felt this was as good a day as any to come and pay her respect to the gods and maybe ask for a favour. She lights bundles of joss sticks and offers a prayer bowing before the shrine.

On her way back to the Kawada compound she buys bean cake. It's purple and very sweet. She needs it for later.

She has arranged for Brittany to arrive in the middle of the afternoon. She has been told the invitation has been accepted so here she is, nervously awaiting her guest. She has made all the necessary preparations. They are lucky to be able to use the beautiful room. The _tatami_ mats on the floor are of the very finest kind and zen-writings on the scrolls mounted on the walls, are written in the most exquisite style. The location is perfect and the view is beautiful and calming, overlooking the wooded slope leading down the hill.

Then Brittany enters. She has placed her shoes outside and walks in silently on the soft mats. Santana rises to her feet and walks over to Brittany. She bows and welcomes her guest. Brittany bows back. Then she bids the blond girl to sit. Brittany places herself behind a small plate with neatly cut bean cakes.

"I've never done the tea ceremony before. I'm not quite sure what to do." Brittany smiles carefully.

"You don't really have to do anything." Santana smiles back. She sits down opposite to Brittany and very carefully starts to clean her utensils. She follows a set pattern as she picks up and cleans the items one by one. Brittany watches in amazement as Santana goes through the movements. She looks so feminine and sophisticated.

Santana finishes the cleaning ritual and it's time to warm up the tea bowl. She pours hot water into the bowl before pouring it out and drying the bowl. She looks at Brittany.

"Are you ready for tea?"

"Yes," Brittany answers, full of anticipation.

"Very good." Santana looks at her for a long time.

Brittany watches Santana's slender hands pick up the lidded bowl that contains the green powered tea. She deftly uses the oddly shaped spoon to scoop up the tea and puts it in the tea bowl. Then she puts the rest of the tea and spoon away. Once the boiling water has been ladled into the tea bowl she picks up the whisk and works up thick green foam. Then she places the tea bowl in front of Brittany.

"Please take a moment to appreciate the bowl maker's craftsmanship."

Carefully Brittany lifts the tan ceramic bowl and looks at it. She turns it in her hands and looks at it from all angles, careful not to spill any of its contents. Santana watches Brittany. She notes how the Brittany's hands hold the bowl, the look of appreciation in her eyes, her straight posture and how her long blond hair moves.

"It's beautiful," Brittany says after studying the bowl. Santana only nods her head in agreement.

"Please, taste the tea."

Expectantly Brittany brings the bowl to her lips. Santana watches intently how the pale fingers bring the bowl to the soft pink lips where they meet the glazed clay.

Brittany takes a large sip before removing the bowl from her mouth. There is a little bit of green foam caught on her upper lip. Santana smiles and hands Brittany a napkin. She makes a small gesture with her hand to her own upper lip to indicate that Brittany should wipe hers. Blushing slightly, Brittany does so. Santana feels like someone poured a hot beverage down her gullet. Warmth spreads in her chest and she really can't help smiling even more.

"Can I take another sip?" Santana just nods and watches as Brittany raises the bowl to her lips again. Brittany seems to like the flavourful tea despite its slight bitterness. It makes Santana relived and proud.

Brittany lowers the bowl and smiles at Santana. Then she takes another sip, never letting her eyes leave her hostess.

"Best tea I've ever tasted!" she states after draining the bowl. "Thank you so much for showing me the tea ceremony and for preparing the tea for me. I feel honoured."

Santana blushes and forgets what she was about to say.

"Do you have to stay here or might we go for a walk together? It's a beautiful day." Brittany looks at her expectantly.

"I'd like that!" Santana can't remember when she smiled this much last. It's like she's smiling all the time. "Let me just put the things away here first." She starts cleaning the few times again and puts them away in the same neat manner as she prepared the tea.

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They're walking down the slope side by side. Brittany looks at her with a funny look in her eyes.

"You're so pretty. It's so easy to get distracted by the boy clothes and the violent moves when you train, let alone when you are wearing that mask but you really are a very pretty girl Santana."

Did she really say that? How can she be so direct? Santana has to close her eyes for a moment. She can feel the blood rushing to her face and she knows she is blushing deeply. She swallows hard and says the one and only thing that comes to mind.

"You're prettier," she says and she really means it. She's blushing even harder. Why does this girl affect her so much? She's met pretty girls before but never felt like this? What she first thought was pure curiosity about things foreign, turned out to be something more. Something she can't quite define.

Brittany just smiles and they walk in silence for a while.

"You know I only come to watch you when I come down to the training field, don't you?"

Santana nearly trips.

"Why?" she asks in honest bewilderment.

"I like to watch you train. You look so… impressive. It's hard to think that under that pretty kimono you're all muscle. That you can scale walls and force a grown man to the ground," Brittany muses.

"It's just technique. You could easily learn it too." Wait, is Brittany thinking about what she looks like under her kimono? Then she remembers Brittany has _seen_ what she looks like without clothes. Her face reddens again.

"You're very cute when you blush, do you know that?" Santana blushes harder. "And really? Do you mean it?" Brittany asks.

"What?" Santana has a hard time keeping her thoughts straight.

"That I could learn to scale walls?" Brittany sounds excited.

"Yes, of course. I could teach you how to. It's really not hard. You just have to walk the wall," Santana explains, feeling much more at ease talking about her job. "Come down to the field tomorrow and I'll show you the basics."

"Thank you! Wow! I'm looking forward to it!" Brittany's voice is full of anticipation. Santana's heart hammers hard in her chest. They have another appointment set. Brittany is going to come to the field to spend time with her and she seems really pleased about it too.

"I know you are here to help lord Kawada. It worries my father that lord Kawada is warring against Tanaka. Father says lord Kawada is very powerful and commands many men, also from outside of this town, men who have sworn their allegiance to him but Tanaka is also gathering more men. I know I am not supposed to worry my head about these things but I can't help thinking about them." Brittany looks at Santana. "And I know Takai's men and you, are here to be a part of lord Kawada's plans. If he recovers. What is it lord Kawada wants you to do?"

Santana explains their mission as well as she can. She knows the Iga-group is just a small part of lord Kawada's forces.

They talk as they stroll. By the time they make it back to the main building, it's late afternoon.

"Thank you for a lovely afternoon." Brittany takes Santana's hand and holds it in both of hers. As their eyes meet something flashes in those blue orbs. It's only there for the briefest of moments but it tells Santana something. She just has to figure out what it is.

"No, thank you! I.. I really enjoyed spending time with you. Thank you for accepting my invitation. I'll see you tomorrow at the field. I'll be in my boy clothes again." She grins.

"Ah yes, but I will still see how pretty you are. You know how you can't un-see things?" With that and a smile, Brittany turns around and starts walking towards the entrance. Santana watches her disappear into the house.


	8. Chapter 8

Santana looks over her equipment. She has brought two _kaginawas_, long ropes with four joined hooks at one end. She's going to teach Brittany to climb walls. She has been up early and picked out a wall on the eastern side of the compound. It's not very high and leans in a little, making it slightly easier to scale. She hopes Brittany will show up. It's not like they set a time or anything.

Santana starts her training with the group but her heart isn't quite in it this morning. She keeps looking up the path towards the buildings, hoping to see the tall blond girl approaching. They've already been out for hours when the familiar voice calls out in faintly accented Japanese.

"Hey there!"

Santana immediately turns around to see Brittany coming towards her. Brittany's face lights up in a smile. She's dressed in Japanese style trousers and a shirt. Her hair is tied up in a bun at the back of her head.

"Hey! Let me just put these away and I'm ready," Santana says and wipes her hands on her trousers. She puts her _shurikens _in a leather satchel and walks over to the wooden doll and pulls out the star shaped metal pieces. She feels her hands tremble a little bit. Why is she so nervous? She just really hopes Brittany will enjoy the climbing and that she'll get the hang of it. Trying to calm her nerves she takes her time gathering the _shurikens_. She takes a deep breath before she turns around and starts walking back towards Brittany whose face is lit up with anticipation.

"I've picked a spot for us to practise in. If you're still up for it, that is?" Santana raises one eyebrow and looks at Brittany with a lopsided smile. She's fairly sure Brittany is up for it.

"You bet! But I didn't tell my father what I was going to do. He'd probably have a heart attack." Brittany grins sheepishly and Santana laughs.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you. I swear!"

Santana carries the _kaginawas_ as they walk over to the eastern side of the compound.

"Wow!" Brittany looks up the wall. "Do you really think I can climb up there?"

"Yup!" Santana can't help grinning as she passes Brittany a _kaginawa. _

"Ok. So the idea is to climb up with the help of a rope but first you need to get the hooks up there. You have to throw it up to the top. You hold it like this." She holds the rope about two feet from the hooks and begins to swing it.

"Get a bit of speed up before you let go." She releases the rope and the hooks land at the top of the wall with a clanging sound.

"Then you pull to make sure it has found something to grip on to." She tugs hard at the rope. "Now you try."

Brittany picks up the second _kaginawa_ and begins to swing it in circles like Santana did a little while ago.

"How do you know when to let go?" She looks a little nervous.

"As you're bringing it up, sort of. Just give it a shot."

Brittany keeps swinging the metal hooks a little while longer before she lets go. The hooks swing up behind them and fly in a wide arch to land on the ground some fifteen yards behind the girls.

"Oops!" Santana giggles a little. Brittany looks slightly annoyed for a moment before she starts to giggle too.

Santana fetches the hooks and rolls up the rope again for Brittany to start over.

"Just try again. It might take a few goes before you get the hang of it. Don't worry."

Brittany tries a few more times before she eventually manages to get the _kaginawa_ up onto the wall.

"Ok, now tug down hard."

Brittany does what she's told and Santana looks pleased. Then Santana begins to explain how to scale the wall, basically walking up it.

"Let your legs do the work. You don't haul yourself up by your arms because your legs are a lot stronger so use them. I'll show you." She grabs the rope with both hands and puts a foot up against the wall.

"Like this." Santana takes a few steps up the wall. Brittany watches with a concentrated look on her face. Santana climbs up to shoulder height before she starts walking the wall downwards to Brittany again.

"Now you try." She smiles and positions herself behind Brittany.

"Ok, put your hands a little further apart." She leans forward to help Brittany adjust her hands. As soon as her body makes contact with Brittany's it's like an electric current runs through her. She feels the heat of the blond girl's body against her chest and stomach and for a moment she has trouble breathing.

"Trust yourself, lean back a little more. I'm right here if you lose your grip," she encourages Brittany. She watches and the muscles in the long slender pale arms flex. Watching them makes her want to touch them. She wants to feel those muscles harden beneath her fingers.

Slowly, slowly Brittany inches her way upwards.

"Great! Now you've gotten the hang of it. Come down again and I'll give you a safety rope."

Santana ties a loop and asks Brittany to step into it. Then she raises it up to just chest height. She shivers a little as her hands brush against Brittany's sides. She fastens the other end in her belt and begins to climb up her own rope. She moves fast and deliberately and reaches the top in no time. Up at the top she secures Brittany's safety line around a tree before she swiftly makes her way down again.

"How do you do that? You're like a squirrel or something!" Brittany looks at her in awe. She feels the heat rushing to her cheeks but she's dead pleased.

They spend hours working the wall.

"Just a little bit further! Come on! You can do it!" Santana encourages. Brittany is almost at the top of the wall. Santana is holding on to her own rope next to her. Brittany's whole body strains against the wall and the rope. She is deeply concentrated as she takes the last few steps. Panting she heaves herself over the edge and rolls away from it. She lies on her back looking up at the sky laughing while trying to catch her breath. As soon as she can stand, she does a little victory dance. Santana sits next to her and just watches Brittany's joy. She's adorable! Santana feels like something is gripping her inside her chest. She wants to hear more of that laughter. She wants to keep watching the sun reflect in that golden hair.

"I'm ravenous!" Brittany says eventually. Her breathing is almost back to normal and she's still smiling.

"I'm pretty sweaty and grimy. I can't go to lunch like this." Santana looks at herself.

"Oh yeah…" Brittany looks down at her own stained clothes.

"Besides, I have to return to the group. Sensei won't be too happy if I skip the whole day. But I had fun! Did you have fun?"

"It was like the best day ever! Will you teach me something else some other time?" Brittany looks expectant.

"Of course I will. Just let me know when and I'll prepare something." Santana's heart beats harder at the thought of seeing Brittany soon again.

They part ways outside the main building.

"Keep the _kaginawa_ if you want to practise by yourself but please be careful so you don't fall." Santana hands Brittany the rope with the metal hooks.

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The rest of the day disappears quickly. Santana feels lighter somehow. The day seems brighter and she is looking forward to the coming days.

In the evening she has tea with Takai.

"How is your friend?" he asks casually.

"She's fine. I taught her how to climb walls today. She learned quickly." Santana smiles with her whole face. "She's funny and sweet. She smiles a lot and she's so unlike anyone I've met before."

"I'm glad San-chan. I think it's good for you to have female friends your age. I am very fond of Takashi and I am glad he is your friend but I think it's good for you to know girls too. She seems like a nice girl." He smiles warmly at her.

"How is Kawada-sama doing father? Is his health improving?" She's trying not to think about what happens if Kawada doesn't recover. She doesn't want to leave, at least not yet.

"He is still very ill and weak. It is uncertain if he will recover and in that case, to what degree. We will stay for a while longer but in not too long we have to seriously consider going back if there is no change in his condition."

Santana nods.

"But my dear, don't worry too much about it. We still concentrate on the task at hand. We are comfortable here and besides, we don't have any other missions lined up at the moment. Tsukahara-san tells me we are still useful to Kawada's men so we are not taking inappropriate advantage of Kawada's hospitality. And you get to spend more time with your friend." Takai takes a sip from his cup. "I am an old man San-chan and old men need their rest. I'm going to bed." He stands up walks towards the door. Before he leaves he turns around and smiles at her.

She feels calmed for the moment. She gets to stay here, away from her usual chores, she gets to concentrate on her skills and she gets to stay close to Brittany. Brittany… She smiles just thinking about the girl. She says the name quietly to herself. She makes a point of not saying it the Japanese way, _Bu-ri-tta-ni_.

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Brittany keeps coming to the practise field to watch Santana train. Santana spends her breaks talking to the blond girl, explaining what they're doing or just chit-chatting. She's noticed that Brittany often touches her arm or shoulder. When she laughs she'll often lean forward and rest a hand on Santana. It always makes Santana's body tingle a little. On days it doesn't happen she always feels strangely disappointed somehow.

"My father is going away to Kyoto the day after tomorrow. I was sort of wondering if you might keep me company? I know I have my own room but I don't like it when I know he's not there next door." Brittany looks down at her shoes. "I'm a little bit afraid of the dark."

"Yes, of course I will. I will tell _sensei_. It won't be a problem." Her heart is pounding in her chest. Somehow she feels like she has gotten something she wanted.

"That's wonderful! I'll tell my father you'll stay with me. He'll be delighted. Come in time for dinner and we can eat and bathe together." Brittany looks excited too.

Santana smiles the whole day through. Even when Yusuke trips her and she faceplants in the dirt. She doesn't really know why feels so full of anticipation. She just feels giddy at the thought of spending so much time alone with Brittany.

The following day feels like it's dragging on forever. Santana keeps herself busy as best she can. She works out hard after dinner to tire herself out so she can go to bed and sleep early.

In the morning she sees Willem ride out together with a few other men. She has talked to Takai and she will leave the group in the afternoon to go join Brittany up in the main building. He doesn't seem to mind in the least. She knows she's lucky. Not all parents are as understanding and wise as he is. He lets her do what she wants most of the time. She was always different as a child. She kept to herself a lot of the time and even though she did express joy and excitement at times, she was never a bubbly gushing girl. He never tried to change her and he is always patient and never talks to her as if she doesn't understand. He trusts her and she trusts him implicitly.

By late afternoon Santana stands washed and ready in front of the main building.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ok, so I'm posting two chapters on the same day. What's gotten into me? Anyway, they are stepping things up a little. Just to give you a head's up, the rating may change a couple of chapters down the line. So be warned already. **

"There you are!" Brittany exclaims as Santana enters the room. "I thought we might take a walk before dinner. Would that suit you?"

"Yes, that sounds nice." Santana says nervously. She doesn't want to be nervous. She usually acts with confidence and certainty but not around Brittany. She turns into a shy insecure girl in the presence of the Dutch girl. It bothers her a little but it doesn't disturb her enough to stay away from Brittany. In fact, she feels like she can't stay away from Brittany. She's drawn to her like a fly to sugar.

They stroll through the woods nearby the compound. It's an overcast day but the temperature is still pleasant.

"What is your father doing in Kyoto?" she inquires.

"Some kind of business. He's a tradesman even though he doesn't do much business these days. Instead he spends a lot of his time writing down observations. I think he's writing a book about Japan. Not many people know about this country back where I come from."

"Not many people here know a lot about the country you are from," Santana observes.

"True! Nor about the country you are from," Brittany says in Spanish. Santana likes it when Brittany speaks Spanish. It puts them in a larger context than just being two girls in a compound somewhere in Japan. It reminds her of the world outside, that she has a history and a background.

"So, tell me about you," Brittany says and looks into Santana's eyes.

"Me? There isn't much to tell. I lead a simple life back home in Iga. I do chores, help out in the fields and train with the group. I live with my father." She shrugs.

"Yeah… And sometimes you put on a black face mask and go on dangerous missions where you fight dangerous men!" Brittany adds. "Yeah.. Sounds pretty dull to me." She chuckles and Santana shoves her shoulder lightly.

"What things do you like? What do you dislike?" Brittany continues her probing.

"Erm.. I like being on a mission. I like wearing that black mask. It makes my blood rush and it's like it heightens my senses. When I do what I'm trained for I feel strong and able. I don't mean for it to sound boastful but I really like it." She shrugs again. "And I like lying on the ground watching the sky. I really don't like _natto_. I think they are horrid little beans that smell awful."

Brittany giggles.

"Yes, they do. I wouldn't eat them unless I was absolutely starving," she agrees. "Want to lie on the ground and watch the sky now?"

Slightly surprised Santana looks at her. Brittany has stopped and is lowering herself to the ground.

They lie next to each other and look up at the clouds.

"Do you see how they move? I think that might be what's so fascinating. The sky constantly changes and it never looks quite the same." She points straight up.

They stay on the ground for a while and watch the sky between the tall trees. Eventually Brittany says her back is getting cold. Santana gets to her feet and holds out her hand to help Brittany up. They're back at the house within half an hour.

Brittany calls for their dinner two maids and soon two maids appear with their meal. Santana's face lights up when she sees Brittany has ordered yakitori skewers.

She remembered, Santana thinks to herself. It spreads a warm feeling inside her.

They take their time with dinner and by the time they are finished it has gotten dark.

"Let's bathe now and we can lie in bed and talk afterwards," Brittany proposes.

They walk into the bathroom together. Brittany never hesitates as she takes off her _yukata_ and hangs it neatly on a wooden hook on the wall. Santana's breath catches. She wasn't prepared. She didn't have time to tell her eyes not to devour Brittany's body. She's left staring, she can't pull her gaze away from the slender pale body. From Brittany's slender feet, up the strong calves, shapely thighs where she can see the muscles moving under the skin, her eyes travel further up and takes in the curves of Brittany's hips, the blond hair between her legs, her smooth stomach with a small belly button. Her breasts. Santana's eyes linger on the round soft shapes with their pink areolas and small pert nipples. Eventually her eyes move upwards to the clearly visible collar bones, the straight shoulders that looks so strong and create a contrast to the soft feminine breasts. Brittany's arms are long and beautiful. Her skin looks so smooth decorated with freckles. A few veins are visible under her skin on her forearms. Her gaze moves up to Brittany's face with the soft looking pink lips shaped into a smile, up the straight nose and then she meets Brittany's eyes. Is it amusement she sees? She realises she's being scrutinised as she is watching Brittany. The eyes definitely hold questions but she's not sure she has all the answers. She feels an urge to touch. She wants to put her hands on Brittany. She wants to know if the pale complexion is as smooth as she thinks, she wants to let her fingertips run over the small swelling of those veins and press down lightly to feel their softness. She wants to cup Brittany's breasts, feel their weight, press them gently… Her hands itch with curiosity and yearning and there is a strange feeling in her stomach and it spreads down to her groin.

She realises she's still dressed in her _yukata_ and it's time to take it off. Brittany looks her expectantly. Slowly she opens the robe and lets her right arm slip out of it and then her left. She can feel Brittany's eyes on her, she doesn't have to look up to know. She takes a deep breath. This is the only body she has and she can't change it within the next ten seconds. And why should it matter? Why should it matter what Brittany thinks about her body and why should Brittany think anything about it at all? Why would Brittany's hands feel as curious as her own when she sees Santana naked? She hangs the _yukata _on another hook, still not looking at Brittany.

Brittany holds out her hand with a pounding heart Santana takes it. The blond girl leads them to the low wooden stool.

"Please sit."

Shivering a little Santana sits down on the stool, keeping her thighs pressed together and her arms crossed over her chest. Brittany fills a wooden bucket with hot water and gently pours it over Santana's back.

"Let me wash you," she says and runs her hand up Santana's skin, spreading the water evenly. Goosebumps spread from her back, down her arms to the rest of her body.

"Are you cold? You're shivering" Brittany asks, still stroking Santana's back. It feels amazing. Santana can hardly breathe and she feels like she'd do anything to make Brittany continue touching her. Anything.

Brittany gets more water and pours it over Santana's trembling body. She seems so unconcerned by her own nakedness. Santana is torn between closing her eyes concentrating on enjoying the other girl's touch and looking at Brittany's bare body as it moves. She's standing so close. Santana can feel the heat from her body, smell the faint scent of citrus and warmth and she hears her own pulse loud as thunder in her ears.

Brittany washes her arms and her legs, gently caressing Santana's bronze coloured skin.

"Lean back a little."

Santana looks up at Brittany and hesitates for a moment before she straightens her back and leans backwards a little, exposing the front of her body to Brittany. She's still covering her chest with her crossed arms.

"Let your arms hang by your sides so the water can run down your body."

The thunder in Santana's ears grows louder. She holds her breath as she slowly lets her arms fall to her sides. She closes her eyes again. She doesn't dare look at Brittany as she looks down at her body. She hears the sound of Brittany drawing in her breath sharply then the faintest whisper.

"By god, you're beautiful. So beautiful." Then she feels the warm water run from her shoulders, over her breasts and spill down her stomach to come together and pool between her legs and hand that softly rubs her just below the collar bone. To Santana's breathless disappointment Brittany lifts her hand and briefly places it on Santana's quivering stomach.

"I think you're clean and ready for your bath." Brittany smiles and Santana stands up.

"D..Do you want me to wash you?" she asks hesitantly, dreading the answer, not knowing which she's hoping more for. Brittany suddenly looks shy.

"It's ok. You don't have to."

"B.. but I kind of want to… unless, you'd really rather I didn't. Of course." She looks down on the floor.

"Well, if you want to I suppose I should take you up on your offer." Brittany takes a seat on the low stool. She sits up straight with her hands in her lap. She has her eyes closed. Santana fetches more water and slowly pours it over Brittany's waiting body. One bucket. Two. Standing behind Brittany she's about to put her hand on the other girl's back but stops herself less than an inch from connecting with the pale beautiful skin. What if it is as magic as it seems? After what feels like an eternity Santana lays a trembling hand on Brittany's back. She's only half prepared for the sensation that travels from her fingers, up through her arm and spreads a tingle throughout her body. Caressing Brittany is like nothing she's experienced before. Her hand begins to travel. She strokes the expanse of Brittany's back and it's like she can't stop. Even when the water is all gone and Brittany's skin begins to cool down, Santana is reluctant to break the contact to get more water. Eventually she does. With meticulous care she washes the other girl. Pouring the water over Brittany's shoulder she turns her arm to let the water reach everywhere. She watches as the clear liquid runs down Brittany's chest, how small streams part over her breasts, spill over and form miniature waterfalls that land on her stomach and thighs. She washes Brittany's legs and stretches them out to wash the back of her knees. All the time Brittany watches her but doesn't speak. Santana continues until every last part of Brittany has been washed. She looks at her friend and smiles that says she's done.

"I don't think I've ever been this clean." Brittany smiles back and stands up. Santana realises she's really cold. Her skin feels like a frog's, damp and cool to the touch.

"Let's get into the bath," she proposes through clattering teeth.

The warm water is envelopes them as they climb in. It relaxes their cold tense bodies and warms them up.

"Thank you for washing me," Brittany says. "It felt so good when you stroked me. So soothing somehow."

Without a word Santana moves closer, reaches out and begins to stroke Brittany's back again. The blond girl lets out a contented sigh.

"Mmmm.."

The urge to feel more of Brittany's skin against her own is almost overpowering. Would it be really weird? Slowly she moves closer and closer, coaxing Brittany to move around slightly so that she can slide her body behind the other girl, she carefully scoots in until she is sitting right behind Brittany. Her hands caress the long graceful arms and she leans forward just enough to let their bodies connect. The thunder is back in her ears, louder than ever. Carefully she lets her chin rest on Brittany's shoulder. Then Brittany takes her wrists and wraps Santana's arms around her waist. Santana places the palms of her hands flat against Brittany's soft skin. She wonders if Brittany can feel her heart beating against her back. Can she feel the chaos she is creating inside Santana? Can she feel the desire that is building up?

"I could sit like this with you for hours," Brittany husks.

_I could sit like this with you forever_, Santana thinks silently to herself and scoots a little closer still. The sensation of Brittany's back against her breasts sends pangs down between her legs and all she knows is that she wants to be even closer to Brittany, feel more of her against her own body. She doesn't really know why, just following an impulse, she tentatively presses her lips to Brittany's neck. Then again. And again. Ever so softly. She feels Brittany holding her breath. Her hands develop a will of their own as they move from Brittany's abdomen to her arms, stroking them as she continues kissing her way down Brittany's neck, over her shoulder, down her back. Brittany exhales unevenly and Santana feels the other girl shiver a little. Santana feels light headed. What is she doing? What is it she wants? She can clearly feel she wants something.

"I… I think we should get up." Brittany's voice is a little shaky. She moves her body forwards and stands up. Santana rolls her lips over each other. They tingle. Slowly she raises her hand to her mouth and touches it. She doesn't look at Brittany. She can't. Her body aches from the loss of proximity. She can't bring herself to stand up.

Brittany climbs out of the bath and begins to dry herself.

"Take your time. I'll go prepare our _futons_." She wraps her _yukata_ around her body and leaves the bathroom. Santana is still sitting in the water that is rapidly losing its heat. What did she do? How can she possibly go join Brittany and sleep in the same room as her? Will Brittany ever want to lay eyes on her again?

She stays in the bath until she's a cold shivering mess. The tips of her fingers have gone pale and wrinkly and it's time to get out. She hopes Brittany has gone to sleep as she sneaks into the room. The other girl is lying still under her covers. Santana finds the _futon_ Brittany has made up for her and lies down. She can tell by the sound of Brittany's breathing that she's not asleep. She can't think of anything that could possibly be appropriate to say. Instead she lies still and stiff as a board, hoping the night will pass quickly. It doesn't. Thoughts race through Santana's head. She's mentally scolding herself for being an inept idiot. She gave into some primitive urge and scared Brittany away. She's shamed herself. She can only pray Brittany doesn't tell anyone of her actions.

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When Santana wakes in the morning Brittany is already up. There is breakfast on the table and Brittany is talking as if nothing strange happened between them the night before. Santana tries to keep up with Brittany but doesn't quite manage. After breakfast she excuses herself and leaves to join the Iga-group for practise. She's looking forward to a hard work out to clear her head.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! =) I'm sorry this chapter is a little bit short. **

The following days the Iga-group train without spectators. Santana puts her all into her training and pushes herself to the limit. At night she bathes and goes to bed early, her body aching from the day's exertions. But no matter how she exhausts herself she can't stop thinking about Brittany. The scene in the bath playing in her mind over and over again. The memory of Brittany's skin beneath her fingers and her lips makes her body tingle and ache with longing. The memory of the look in Brittany's eyes when she left the bathroom makes her feel sick to her stomach. How could she be so stupid? How could she lose control like that? Will Brittany ever want to talk to her again?

"San-chan." Takai stops her on their way back from the training field. She's dirty and sweaty and she's managed to get a small tear in her left sleeve and she suspects she's going to develop bruises on her legs.

"Yes _sensei?"_ She looks at him.

"I have invited Willem Pierce and his lovely daughter to dine with you and me tomorrow evening. I have not had the opportunity to thank him for his kindness and hospitality towards you."

She wants to scream in frustration. She knows she can't protest and she knows Takai knows it too. She knows he means well but she feels like a big rock has been dropped on her. Does she act as if nothing ever happened or does she say as little as possible and try to keep interaction at a bare minimum? Is there a way to apologise? Beg for forgiveness? No. Surely begging for forgiveness would just be an inappropriate humiliation for both of them

That night she dreams she is back at the bath with Brittany. They're sitting in the warm water like they did that day. As Santana presses her lips to Brittany's shoulders, Brittany turns her head and seeks out her lips with her own. The kiss is unhurried and tender. Brittany's lips are so soft and warm. Santana wakes with a start. Her eyes fly wide open and she feels a dull pulsing sensation between her legs. She covers her face with the heavy blanket and groans to herself. She feels betrayed by her own mind. In her sleep it paints images to weaken and corrupt her. She's afraid to go back to sleep. Instead she quietly gets up and steps outside. The compound is quiet and seems so serene in the pale moon light. She sits down on the wooden deck with her knees tucked up under her chin. What does it all mean?

Takai watches her through the open door. She looks so troubled. She used to get that look sometimes when she was little. It seemed like her mind was battling to wrap itself around some thought or concept. Sometimes she'd give up and come to him for advice. Sometimes she'd get a satisfied look on her face and he knew she'd reached a conclusion she was happy with. And sometimes she'd just stop and he suspected she'd come back to it later.

He knows what she is struggling with now and there is very little he can do to help her. This is something she has to figure out for herself. She's been different in so many ways. He is not surprised her love is a little different too. He wishes he could pad her heart, wrap it up in down bolsters, but he can't. All he can do is stand by her and be there if she needs him. He sighs deeply to himself and returns to his bed.

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Santana wakes up late pulls the cover over her head. She's tried and reluctant to start the day. She has to force herself to get up and get on with it. She tries to concentrate on the training, thankful that Yusuke and Takashi are keeping them busy with physical training all day.

By the end of the afternoon she walks slowly towards their sleeping quarters. Her legs are a little shaky from a particularly excruciating exercise involving crouching and jumping over and over. She's looking forward to washing and some rest before it is dinner time. How should she act around Brittany? She doesn't know if she has the guts to just act as if nothing happened. She doesn't want to make Takai feel awkward by being too quiet. He is the host and she is not to embarrass him. That wouldn't be fair to him. Surely Brittany hasn't said anything to Willem! She swallows hard.

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Willem and Brittany arrive on time. Takai greets them at the door and shows them in.

"Thank you for coming Pierce-san! I'm most happy you accepted my humble invitation. Please do come in." He bows deeply.

"Welcome!" Takai bows before Brittany too. Both Willem and Brittany bow back. Santana stands a little behind Takai. She bows too. She's wearing a deep blue kimono with a purple _obi_. Her hair is neatly put up in bun.

Both Willem and Brittany are dressed in western clothes. Willem is in a suit and Brittany is wearing a beautiful dress. Her long blond hair is braided. Santana thinks she looks like some kind of goddess.

"Thank you Takai-san! It's most generous of you to invite both me and my daughter," Willem replies in his heavily accented Japanese. "Santana! It's good to see you again. How are you doing my dear?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking," Santana replies shyly. She still hasn't met Brittany's eyes.

Takai, Willem and Brittany sit down on the tatami mat by the table while Santana fetches the food. She serves up the dishes before she takes her place next to Takai.

"So Brittany tells me you're teaching her ninja tricks? All she's talking about these days is scaling walls and mixing poisons," Willem says with a friendly laugh. Takai looks curiously at Santana who feels her cheeks heating up.

"Erm.. Well.. I showed her how to climb up a wall. I made sure she had a safety rope. I hope you don't mind…" Her voice trails off and she looks over to Brittany who also looks a little embarrassed.

"Well, I trust you won't let her do anything too dangerous." He smiles again and looks at her intently.

"Santana trains young boys back home in Iga so I think Brittany will be in safe hands," Takai reassures the Dutchman.

Willem starts asking Takai about the _shinobis_, what their role is and how they work. Santana notes that Takai answers politely without revealing much at all.

"We are trained in martial arts. Ours is only one of many schools in Japan." Takai continues to explain about the various schools and styles. Willem listens attentively. Santana does her best to stare into her food and occasionally stealing glances at Brittany. Almost every time she looks at Brittany she finds that Brittany is looking at her too. As soon as their eyes meet Santana quickly averts her gaze back deep into her food. Her glass noodles appear to be the most fascinating things she has ever seen.

As dinner draws to an end Takai suggests that Santana serves warm sake for Willem and himself and that the girls might like to take a walk outside to enjoy the warm evening. Santana looks shyly at Brittany who looks back at her just as shyly.

"Santana, the good sake, if you please." Takai smiles at Willem who gives him an appreciative nod.

Twenty minutes later Santana finds herself walking alongside Brittany towards a large pond inside the compound. They haven't spoken a word since they left their fathers, neither wanting to be the first to speak. Santana feels like it's getting harder to breathe with every step she takes walking next to Brittany not knowing where they stand. She struggles against the urge to sprint away from Brittany as fast as she can.

"I'm just as afraid as you are," Brittany whispers without looking at her. She draws in a sharp breath and holds it. She wants to reply. Most of all she wants to deny she is afraid at all but she can't bring herself to do that. She's terrified. In fact, fear has stolen her words and restricts her movements. All she can manage is to mutely keep putting one foot in front of the other.

"Please say something." Brittany's whispering voice is trembling slightly. What can she say? Why are they so afraid? She opens her mouth but no words come out. Instead she just keeps walking, picking up the pace, walking faster and faster until she is trotting and then she's running. She's holding up her dress with her hands and she's running down the path, past the pond towards the woods.

There are no thoughts in her head. The thunder is back in her ears.

A hand grips her arm, tightly. She can hear heavy breathing. She knows it's Brittany.

"Damn, you're fast!" The blond girl is trying to catch her breath.

Santana considers breaking free and continue running but that would be too selfish.

"I'm afraid… I am afraid because I like you too much. I want to be too close to you. I want to be near you too often and I don't know what to do about that. I don't trust myself around you. I have already embarrassed myself." She's staring into Brittany's eyes. Every words comes out clear and precise. She wishes she had brought a smoke bomb to drop now and just vanish into the night. Brittany stares back at her.

"What if I say I don't mind? What if I say you can't be near me too often, nor come too close? What if I like you as much as you like me?"

"But you can't! You don't understand!" Santana closes her eyes hard and clenches her fists.

"If you do, you wouldn't have left me in the bath like that," she says quietly keeping her eyes shut.

"You idiot. That's exactly why I left you in the bath." Brittany turns on her heal and begins to walk back towards the buildings.


	11. Chapter 11

Santana takes her time making her way back. She strolls slowly, breathing in the fresh evening air, admiring the beauty of the surroundings. She finds Brittany sitting on the porch outside the house she shares with the rest of the Iga-group. She is leaning against the wall while picking at a twig.

"I didn't want to tell our fathers I lost you along the way," she says matter-of-factly without looking directly at Santana. "I figured you wouldn't want that either so I assumed you'd show up sooner or later." Brittany sounds like she is talking to a stranger and it hurts.

"Yes, that's probably for the best," Santana says evenly and walks towards the door.

"Wait!" The word comes out a little sharper than Brittany intended. "Is there nothing more we should say to each other now?"

"I have said too much already." Santana looks down at the floor. She can feel Brittany's eyes on her.

Brittany gets to her feet and cautiously walks over to the slight figure belonging to Santana. Slowly she raises her arm and lets her fingertips lightly touch the tan troubled face. Santana holds her breath. Brittany's fingers feel like they're glowing hot, leaving trails on her skin.

So much of her training has been aimed at controlling her own body, to not give in to impulses and reflexes. Yet she has no way of stopping herself from cupping Brittany's face and putting her lips on Brittany's lips.

The thunder in her ears grows into a deafening roar blocking out all other sounds. The ground appears to be trembling under her feet. _ I'm going to die"_, is all she can think. As she carefully opens her eyes she finds Brittany's dark blue eyes staring at her with the most peculiar look in them. They stay like that, staring at each other for what seemed like long time. Then Brittany's face breaks up in a smile as she grabs Santana by the arm and drags her around the corner of the house, into the shadows.

Gently pushed up against the wall of the house, Santana feels Brittany's body against her own and the blonde's hot breath on her face seconds before their lips meet again. They kiss and kiss again until they are both breathless. Brittany begins to giggle. At first Santana thinks it's inappropriate.

"Oh come on. Lighten up. Don't be so serious all the time ninja," Brittany teases. Santana frowns at first before breaking into giggles too. The two of them can't seem to stop. Santana has to steady herself against the wall and Brittany leans on her.

"Santana!" Takai's voice calls out from the porch. For some reason it throws them further into their giggling fit. Santana tries to compose herself and straightens out her dress. Brittany stands up straight and clears her throat.

"Ready?" Santana whispers and looks at Brittany who nods back, stifling more giggles.

"There you are! You two look like foxes who just stole chickens out of the hen house." Takai eyes them suspiciously but with a big smile on his face.

"We thought we heard a lot of laughing. Glad to see you girls are getting along so well," Willem sounds content. "Brittany, I think it's time for us to bid our gracious hosts goodnight."

Willem thanks Takai for a pleasant evening. Brittany bows before the _shinobi_ master and his daughter. They exchange goodnights and goodbyes.

Half an hour later Santana stretches out in the bathtub. All she can think about is kissing Brittany. The softness of her lips, the sweet taste, the heat from her body. Santana closes her eyes and runs her hands down her own body. Her hand strokes across her belly to her side, over her hip down towards her thigh. What if it was Brittany's hand? She lets her other hand travel over her chest, she feels the roundness of her breast, how soft it is. As she lets her fingers run over her nipple it stiffens and she feels how it sends a sensation to her crotch. Her hand moves to her other breast. The nipple is already hard and pointing upwards.

"Oh Brittany," she whispers.

The hand on her thigh moves back to her belly and then downwards. She gently massages the mound, her hair soft in the water. She hesitates to let her hand travel further down. Still imagining it's Brittany's hand, it feels too shameless to touch her most private parts. Especially since she feels the pulsing need there. Instead she brings her hand to her mouth, touching her lips, her tongue comes out to meet her middle finger, dancing over the tip. The pulsing sensation between her legs increases and she lets out a soft moan.

Her free hand grips a breast and begins to massage it gently. As her fingers flick over the sensitive nipple she moans again imagining Brittany palming her body. She wants to touch Brittany like this. She wants to feel her breasts, touch the curve of her hips, pull her close and press their bodies together. Santana's hips move gently in the tub, causing the water to make small waves on the surface. She imagines Brittany lying naked on top of her, kissing her and rocking their bodies together.

She has to get out of the tub. If she doesn't she knows she won't be able to resist the throbbing need between her legs. It's building up and spreading a light aching feeling to the rest of her body.

She grips the sides of the tub and with a swift movement she pulls herself up out of the bath. For good measure she fills a bowl with cold water and pours it over herself. Shivering and covered with goose bumps she wraps a light cotton robe around herself and walks back to the bedroom.

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After a night of fitful sleep, Santana is yet again welcomes the opportunity to exhaust herself physically on the training field. Yusuke has them running crouched down lap after lap. Their legs are burning with lactic acid and their backs are aching. Takai watches from the side of the field.

A young runner approaches and as he reaches the field his eyes scan the group for Takai. The boy stops in front of Takai and bows deeply before informing Takai that Lord Kawada is requesting his presence at a meeting in the afternoon.

From the field Santana sees Takai nodding and the runner bows again before setting off back to the main building, no doubt.

Takai arrives late for dinner. Santana thinks he looks slightly troubled. He notices her following him with her gaze and makes a small deflective hand gesture to indicate that he's ok. She is not to worry. He takes a seat and helps himself to food.

"I have talked to Lord Kawada. Thankfully, he is regaining his strength. He still wants the strike against Tanaka. He has ordered Tsukahara to prepare an attack in ten days from now."

The room is filled with murmurs. Most of the group seems pleased. At last they get to do what they came for. Idle waiting has created restlessness in some of the Iga-men. Takai has done his best to keep them busy with practice and preparations for the mission but there has been a lot of spare time.

Santana feels her excitement about the mission rekindle but everything is different now. Brittany has entered her life. What happens when the mission is over? They'll execute their strike on Tanaka and then what? Presumably they'll return to Iga but Brittany lives here. Brittany with the blue eyes. Brittany who makes Santana's heart beat twice as fast. Brittany who has become a drug stronger than opium to Santana.

In the following days Santana and the other _shinobis_ train hard. They trim their equipment and cook poisons. The tension level is rising and there is less jolly banter and casual socialising. Somewhere beneath the surface they all know the task is dangerous. The likelihood of them all making it back unscathed is not as high as they pretend it to be.

Willem has gone away on business again but Tsukahara's daughter Hiroko is staying with Brittany since Takai has decided Santana needs to focus on the preparations. Brittany comes down to the practise field during the days sometimes. Santana can't help touching her. A hand on a shoulder, a light brush against an arm and then there are the lingering glances. It's like they connect with their eyes, sending messages to each other over an invisible channel. Santana tries to convey what's in her heart. Her eyes are sending Brittany vivid speeches and declarations of affection, want and well, love. And the messages she receives back warm her heart and make her light headed.

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Takai walks over to Santana. He has been in the main building conferring with Kawada, Tsukahara and the rest of the leaders. Santana can tell right away that something is wrong. The way Takai carries himself speaks loudly to hear but she is sure she doesn't want to hear what it says, what Takai has to say. His face is too calm and his gait looks tired and almost hesitant. Takai usually walks with the confidence of someone whose body has been trained and shaped into an obedient instrument.

"Santana, a word, if you please."

She walks up to him and they distance themselves for the rest of the group. He takes a deep breath.

"While we were in the meeting we received bad news. News that weight down my heart."

She's afraid. She can feel her body tense wanting him to tell her what is wrong but at the same time dreading what he is going to say.

"There was an attack on the group of traders Willem was travelling to Osaka with. Robbers."

She feels the colour drain from her face and she feels a chill running up her spine.

"There was violence and the tradesmen are no warriors. They also declined when Tsukahara offered to let two of his men accompany them." He looks straight at her.

"Santana, Willem was killed."

All she can think is '_Brittany!'. _

"Father, I must see her. I must go to her. She needs me!"

Before he has finished nodding, Santana has started sprinting up towards the main building. He watches her as she rapidly puts more distance between them.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! If you want to look me up on Tumblr I'm www . frognut . tumblr . com**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry about the late update. I promise the next one will come up sooner as it is already almost finished. Also, the rating changes with the next chapter. **

**The delay is caused by the fact that I am currently on holiday on a tropical island far out in the Indian Ocean and my internet access is somewhat limited. **

She runs as fast as she can. She doesn't care about the searing pain in her throat as her breathing grows more and more laboured. She has to get to Brittany. Now! Once at the main entrance she pulls the door open and continues running towards the Pierce's quarters. Now, only Brittany's quarters.

She stills herself outside the sliding door and tries to gather herself for a moment while catching her breath. What will she say? All she knows is that she wants to be there for Brittany. She wants to comfort her bereft friend and hold her in her arms. But what do you say? She lost her own father when she was eight years old. What did she want people to say to her then? She doesn't know. All she knows is that Takai had been a great comfort despite his lack of words. At that time they couldn't hold conversations but she always knew that she could trust him. That provided her with what she needed. She wants to be that for Brittany now. She feels relieved she's come the realisation that words are not what Brittany needs. It's something else and hopefully she can bring that.

She takes a deep breath and opens the door. In the low light she takes in the scene. Hiroko and Minako are there. She's seen them with Brittany before. They're sitting at either end of a futon and on the futon lies a figure in a foetal position. Brittany's hair is tousled her body is shaking as she cries.

Minako looks up at Santana while Hiroko continues to stroke Brittany's back, mumbling words of comfort.

"Takai-san. Thank you for coming. She is inconsolable. It is a terrible thing that has happened," Minako shakes her head. Santana is not used to being referred to by Takai's name but it is her official name. In another place at another time it would be Lopez but that is not a thing to ponder now.

She takes a few steps forward and kneels by Brittany's side.

"S..S..Santana?" Brittany looks at her. The blue eyes are filled with tears and red at the edges. "How could this happen? How can he be gone? What am I going to do now? "

Santana wants to tell her that she'll always be there for the now orphaned girl. Still she knows the attack on Tanaka's compound is only a few days away and she cannot make guarantees she'll return from that mission. She is counting on it but she is well aware of the risks.

"You are not alone. You have me. I am all yours," she says putting as much feeling and sincerity as she can into the words. "I am all yours," she says again in Spanish. "_Para siempre_." She is on the verge of adding "_Te amo."_ But this is not the time to complicate things.

Minako looks at Santana who silently confirms that she'll take it from here. Minako gets up and nods at Hiroko. They tell Brittany that they'll see her tomorrow and bid Santana goodnight before leaving.

Santana lies down next to Brittany and pulls her close. Slowly she wraps her arms around the girl and just holds her.

"I'm here. I have nothing more to offer you than me but at least know that you do have me." She strokes Brittany's back. She doesn't know for how long but eventually Brittany's breathing evens out and sleep relieves her troubled mind. Santana lets herself drift off too.

She wakes at dawn. Brittany is still sleeping. Santana wants her to sleep as long as possible. There will be enough painful waking hours in this day no matter how long Brittany sleeps. There is a small frown on the girl's brow but other than that she looks peaceful and relaxed. Santana watches the pale face, memorising every tiniest bit of it, the way the blond hair falls, the pattern of the freckles, the shape of the eyebrows. She wants to be able to recall every detail of Brittany.

She wants to get them breakfast but doesn't want to leave in case Brittany wakes up. She is not going to be alone when she wakes up. Santana is going to make sure of that.

Santana isn't sure how much time passes but after some time, there is a discrete knock on the door frame and the _shoji_ opens slightly. Takai's face appears.

Carefully Santana moves her arms from around Brittany and eases herself off the futon. She walks up to the door where Takai is patiently waiting.

"I'm glad she is able to sleep," he says and nods towards Brittany. "How is she doing?"

"Terribly. She has hardly spoken and she has been crying a lot."

"San-chan, we are nearing our strike on Tanaka. This is the worst possible time for you to be absent from the group. I want my _shinobis_ to leave tomorrow to a place near Tanaka's compound. I'm afraid you are going to have to decide within a few hours if you are joining us or not. If you need to stay, you stay. I will support that choice if it is what you decide. If you are going to take part in the strike, you will join the rest of us no later than lunch time today. I know you understand all the parameters in the situation. "

She looks at him, taking in what he has just said. His face is calm as always. She knows she will get no guidance from looking at him. If he has an opinion, he is hiding it well. She is not surprised. He has always been like this. He has wanted her to make her own decisions, reach her own conclusions but if she asks him straight out, he will divulge his thoughts. Sometimes he doesn't have an answer for her, sometimes he does. She knows this is one of the times when he prefers her not to ask. The implications are too great. It's not that he is afraid of her blaming him later if things turn out badly. It's that if something goes wrong, she has to know in her gut that she acted to the best of her ability and she made a decision based on all the facts available.

"I won't disturb you further San-chan. Please give Brittany my best regards and sincerest condolences when she wakes up," he gives her a gentle smile and takes a step back from the door to turn around and leave.

"You shall have my answer by lunch time."

He just nods without turning around to face her.

What a choice! She doesn't know where to start trying to reach a decision. On the futon Brittany is beginning to stir. Slowly the blue eyes open with a bewildered look in them. Then they focus on Santana. Brittany swallows hard.

"So it is true. It wasn't just a wicked dream." Her eyes fill with tears again.

"_Vader…. Vader…" _she whispers.

Santana kneels by her side, stroking her back.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?"

Brittany shakes her head.

"I wish I could sleep for a thousand years and when I woke up, everything would be right again. Why can't I live in a fairy tale, Santana?"

"I wish you could. You would be the prettiest princess of them all." Santana places a light kiss at the top of Brittany's head.

"Would you be my prince?"

"I would be your mysterious admirer in a black hood. One who sneaks in through your window at night. Only you would know my true identity and in the day, when they saw me dressed in normal clothes, no one would be the wiser. And we would live happily ever after."

"I'd like that. Are you my hooded mysterious admirer now?"

"For all intents and purposes, I suppose I am." The hood. It reminds Santana of the choice she has to make very soon.

"Minako and Hiroko will be back soon. They are good friends." She falls silent for a moment. "Britt, you know the mission we have been preparing for? The strike against Lord Tanaka?"

"Yes, you have told me about it." Brittany looks at her with a question in her eyes.

"Takai wants us to leave tomorrow and in order to be fully prepared, he wants me to join the group at lunch time in order to go over the plan again and look at the details. It's either that, or, I can stay here with you. If you need me here, I will stay."

"Is it a dangerous mission? It sounds dangerous."

"I don't know how dangerous it will be. All I can say for certain is that there are risks, yes. But I trust the rest of the group. Everyone knows what they're doing. We do know how to defend ourselves."

"But you could get hurt." Brittany looks at her, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "Or… Or you could d.." Her voice breaks into a sob.

Santana feels powerless. She wants to tell Brittany everything is going to be alright but she can't guarantee that she will come back.

"I will do everything I can to come back to you. I will use all my skills and all of my mind, so that I can come back to hold you in my arms. The thought of that reward will make me better than I've ever been before." She looks Brittany in the eye.

"But if you want me to stay. If you need me here by your side, I will stay."

Brittany bites her lower lip.

"I cannot ask that of you. I cannot ask you to abandon your friends so that they have to fight without you, making their job more perilous. I cannot ask you to abstain from the mission you have been training so hard for. What I will ask is that you come back to me. I mean this. Minako and Hiroko will keep me company while I wait for your return. But please come back to me tonight first. Please stay with me tonight."

Santana listened for insincerity in Brittany's voice but found none. She nods at Brittany.

"Very well. I will go join my group now and on my way out I will ask for Minako and Hiroko to come to you know. I'll also send for some food. You need to eat even if you don't feel hungry. " She smiles at the blond girl and places a light kiss on her lips before getting to her feet.

"I will be back in the evening. It might be late but I promise I'll be here."

"Until tonight then." Brittany gives her small smile back.

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Takashi looks relieved as Santana sits down at the table for lunch. Yusuke smiles at her and Takai looks at her for a long while. She helps herself to soup, rice and a bowl of mixed vegetables. It's a simple meal but tasty and filling. She suspects Takai has ordered something more festive for the evening. Several of the men ask about Brittany and many express a regret that they had not been with Willem at the time of the attack. They all know they may have changed the outcome if they had been there. A couple of _shinobis_ against a few common robbers, it wouldn't have been a hard match. Or if the tradesmen had let a few of Tsukahara's men accompany them. But it's too late now.

Takai tells her that Kawada has ordered for there to be a funeral service for Willem the following day. The _shinobis_ will have left before that but Tsukahara and a number of others from the compound will attend.

They spend the afternoon going over the last details. Everyone knows where to be at the start of the attack and what their individual main goals will be. They are to target a few key functions in the Tanaka compound, including a few key people. The _shinobis_ are not only assassins but they are indeed assassins.

As they break for dinner they are all grateful for the opportunity to stretch their legs and move about a little. They all vacate the large room while dinner is being brought to the large table.

"I am glad you are here," Taskashi says to Santana. "I thought you might stay with your friend. I would not have blamed you but I am happy you decided to join us, all the same." He gives her a warm smile.

"I would have is she had asked it of me but she told me to go. While I do worry for her, I still feel I am where I'm supposed to be."

Takai has ordered a good meal. There is chicken and marinated thinly sliced beef to fry on cast iron grills, vegetables, pickles, noodle salad and three kinds of sashimi. Of course there is also soup and rice. The meal is enjoyed by all and they take their time. As they toast to their health, they know this may be the last time they are all sitting around a table together.

After dinner they go over their travel routes, equipment and a few other last minute things. They finish just before midnight.

Santana tells Takai that she will stay with Brittany for the night but she will be back in their quarters by sunrise. Takai tells her to give Brittany his regards again and that if she is not there by sunrise he will send Takashi for her. She assures him that won't be necessary.

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Ch 13**

Brittany is sitting by a small table in her room when Santana enters. She appears to be writing something.

"You didn't have to wait up for me."

"I wanted to and I don't think I can sleep anyway. Have you bathed yet?"

"No. I came here straight away after we finished. I wanted to be with you as soon as possible. Have you had your bath already?"

"I was hoping we could do that together. Would you like to? We could do it now or do you want to wait a while?" There is a small hopeful smile on Brittany's face.

"Let's bathe." Santana smiles and holds out her hand to help the other girl up.

They walk in silence to the bathroom. Santana tells Brittany to sit on one of the low stools while she prepares the bath. She can feel the blue eyes watching her has she fills the tub. The gaze seems to intensify as she undresses.

They wash themselves watching one another. Santana continues to memorise Brittany's body. As they bathe they make small talk about trivial things. They don't mention the strike on Tanaka and they don't talk about Willem. Santana tells Brittany about the food at dinner and Brittany tells her about conversations with Minako and Hiroko.

They only stay in long enough to get warmed up. Santana can sense Brittany's restlessness so rather than staying in to soak longer, she gets up and helps Brittany out of the bath. They put on their _yukatas_ and make their way back to Brittany's room.

Santana lays out the futon while Brittany puts her writing things away and sits down to brush her hair in front of a small mirror. By the time she is ready and turns towards the futon, Santana has already gotten in under the covers. The collar of her blue and white _yukata_ sticks up over the heavy bed covers. She's watching Brittany as she approaches.

Brittany puts a hand to the cotton belt around her waist and opens the knot. Then she shrugs her shoulders and lets the robe fall to the floor, revealing her naked body.

"I want to be as close to you as I can tonight," she says and crouches down to get into the futon. Santana sits up. Despite the fact that they were naked together in the bath just a little while ago, she feels self-conscious and hesitant about taking off her robe now. Brittany can see it.

"Please," she says. Santana nods but other than that she doesn't move. Brittany's hand finds Santana's belt and tugs at one end, making the loose knot come undone. She lifts both hands to Santana's shoulders and slowly she guides the material off the slender body. Santana still hasn't moved. Brittany lies down on her side letting her eyes rake over the other girl's body.

"Come lie close to me," she begs. At last Santana moves, fully removing the robe from her body before sliding over to Brittany. Long arms wrap around the slightly tense _shinobi_ girl. The feeling of Brittany's naked body pressing itself close to hers is like nothing she has experienced before. Brittany is both soft and firm and she's warm and she feels so vibrant.

Brittany holds her tight, tangling their legs together. They're lying impossibly close to each other.

"You have to come back to me. Please, please come back to me," Brittany whispers into Santana's hair. "I cannot lose you too. You have to come back."

Santana swallows hard.

"I will do everything in my power to come back to you. I will come back and bring you with me to Iga. My home will be your home too. I promise you."

Brittany finds her lips and kisses her heatedly. Santana parts her lips and welcomes the tip of Brittany's tongue with her own. She draws in the clean scent of Brittany's skin. It's the best scent ever. She feels like her own skin is glowing hot as Brittany runs her hands up and down her back. Their kisses deepen and become more intense. Slowly their bodies begin to rock into each other. With smooth wave like movements they light fires that burn brighter and brighter within them. Santana is so out of breath and as she listens she finds that Brittany is too. But it doesn't matter.

"Give me your hand," Santana pants and soon she feels Brittany's hand in hers. Slowly she guides it down her own body, she feels it tremble slightly as she places it between her legs. Both of them gasp as Brittany makes contact with the wet heat there.

"Come inside me and we'll be as close as we can ever be," Santana whispers. Seconds later she feels two fingers push inside her and she loses control over her mind and her voice. A loud moan escapes her and Brittany makes an unidentifiable sound as she feels strong slick muscles clench around her fingers. She pulls them almost all the way out before pushing them in again and Santana's hips thrust up to meet her.

"I love you!_" _ Santana almost screams as Brittany continues to move her fingers in and out of the other girl, whose head is moving from side to side, occasionally reaching up to kiss whatever part of Brittany she can reach while her hips are moving at a faster and faster pace. Brittany has positioned herself halfway above Santana now and she's moving her hand with long strong strokes. Her hips are grinding into the girl beneath her.

"You are so unbelievably beautiful. You are so beautiful." If Santana had her eyes open she would see the blue eyes filling with tears yet again, but this time it's not from sorrow.

And then Santana becomes a shaking mess, gasping and mumbling incoherent words of love. Her mind shoots into space and she has no concept of where, when or who she is. Brittany holds still inside her as the trembling subsides.

After catching her breath for a minute Santana suddenly flips them over. Her lips trace down from Brittany's temple, over her cheek, jawline and down over the fair skinned neck. She lets her tongue play over the veins and sinews moving further down across the collarbone and she kisses her way down to Brittany's breast. She stops for a moment to admire it. As she places the tip of her tongue on the pale pink nipple, Brittany twitches and gasps, spurring Santana on and she sucks the nipple into her mouth.

"S.. Santana!" Brittany groans.

She'd stay where she is but she has other places to be. She sticks out her tongue again and lets it trace down Brittany's stomach, leaving a thin wet trail. She backs her body down further towards the foot end of the futon and lies down on her stomach between Brittany's open legs. She wants this so much it's almost overwhelms her. Slowly she lets the flat of her tongue make long strokes. She loves the sensation of Brittany's slick folds against her lips and her tongue. She revels in the feeling of giving from the very core of her being. She wants to give Brittany everything. Everything she has. Everything she is.

As she speeds up her movements she can hear Brittany's breathing grow faster and irregular. She feels hands fisting her hair, thighs tense and muscles clenching. It is all that matters, giving pleasure to her lover. It doesn't take Brittany long to come undone. There is sharp intake of breath before she releases a long moan. Her body tense and arched like a bamboo bow. Santana's heart almost explodes in massive waves of love. She feels proud of them for what they've just done and the beauty of it.

Santana moves up to lie next to Brittany. She lets her finger tips trail over cream white skin. She can't stop touching. The sensation is too good. She wants to feel that Brittany is there and she wants Brittany to feel that she is there.

"We are going to make a home together and I will always love you. I will cook for you, I will bathe you in the evenings and I will make you a fire when the weather is cold. I will write you poems and sing you songs," Santana whispers.

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When Brittany wakes she is alone in the room. She touches the space next to her where Santana lay. It feels so very empty and a breathstealing sense of loneliness overtakes her. It's almost like a physical pain making her curl up and hug her knees.

Santana walks alongside Takashi. They've been on their feet for several hours already and the sun is warming them as they travel. She is never chatty but she's been unusually quiet today and there is something else that is different about her this morning. He can't quite put his finger on it. Takashi watches his friend as they make their way down the road. She seems to be lost in her own thoughts, both troubled and joyful. There is something new about her and for once she is not focused on the present. He doubts she pays much attention to the surroundings but she's safe travelling in a group of eight _shinobis_. He knows she knows that. Otherwise she would stay alert like she usually is. In a way he is thankful she's not too talkative today. He has his own mind full of thoughts. They are returning to the place where he was captured and held in a cage. Going back there is not easy and he knows he has to be brilliant once they arrive.

They will speak when all of this is over. When they have completed their mission and defeated Tanaka. Right now, the mission is all that matters.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It's a warm and sunny day. They are travelling in several smaller groups, as usual, disguised as common farmers. They will spend the night in different villages along the way. They are keeping a fair pace in order to put most of the distance behind them before nightfall. They need to conserve energy the next day as the strike is to happen just before dawn the day after. Tsukahara and his men will attack the compound at dawn the _shinobis_ must have completed most of their work by then.

The strike against Tanaka has been planned in detail. Each member of the group knows what to do. If all goes well they will have prepared for Tsukahara to take control of the compound.

Santana has hung a small bundle at the end of a stick that she carries on her shoulder. The bundle contains a few belongings, food and water. Koichi leads a donkey carrying large bags containing their weapons and other equipment. She is dressed as a peasant boy. Her long hair is braided and put up in a bun. She hides it under a wide straw hat. Her slender build clothed in loose fitting clothes leave by-passers none the wiser. She's travelled disguised like this many times before. It doesn't bother her in the least.

The previous night is still at the forefront of her mind. Brittany's body pressed against her, the look in those blue eyes, the little whimpers she made as Santana silently professed her love. Her heart doesn't only belong to her any more. This mission used to be all she could think of. It still excites her but now there is something at the other side of the attack. There is something to look forward to other than just returning to normal life. She will make a home together with Brittany.

The day is uneventful. They walk mainly in silence. No one discusses the mission. The group only makes brief stops and by mid-evening they enter the village where they will stay the night. They find the _ryokan_ close to the village square and before long the _shinobis_ have eaten and bathed. It's been a long day and sleep finds Santana quickly on her futon in a room she shares with her travel companions.

The following day they rise a little after dawn. The last leg of the journey will take them until mid-afternoon. Then they will make camp in the woods, rest and wait for the night to give them cover. That's when the transformation will take place. The harmless looking peasants will shed their worn simple clothes and don their black garments and cover their heads with black hoods. That's when the adrenaline starts flowing.

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Santana carefully applies the black paint around her eyes. Apart from her hands it's the only part of her body that will be visible. She's checked her equipment twice. Her weapons are in perfect condition and the small vials are filled with an assortment of poisons. She has brewed them herself. Carefully she wipes her hands on a piece of cloth and checks her hairbun. Then she places the black hood over her head and ties it at the back. She looks at Takashi and Koichi. They are dressed in the same way she is and she can see the focus and determination in their eyes. Right now they are only _shinobis_. She feels at home in the darkness. It's become her partner. It conceals her and protects her.

The compound is heavily guarded. They know that already. The _shinobis _are to sabotage the defence by striking at strategic targets. They have divided into smaller groups. One group is to target the armoury, one fix the gates so that Tsukahara's men can get in with their horses, certain guards will be targeted along the perimeter to slow down detection of the attack.

Santana, Takashi and Koichi have been assigned Tanaka himself. He is constantly surrounded by guards and he is a formidable warrior himself. It won't be an easy task. It would be foolish and arrogant to think she can just run in there and assassinate him. If he is as skilled as they say, that deserves respect. Respect for his sword and respect for the man. She knows he is in his fifties, trained and schooled in the western part of the country. His swordsmanship was widely spoken of already when he was a young man. Son of a wealthy nobleman, it was easy for him to gather warriors around him, given his social position by birth and his skills with a sword. As he grew older he became greedier. Power creates a hunger for more power. Now he wants what Kawada has. Santana will do what she can to prevent that from happening. Not because she cares about power or politics. It does not affect her who rules these lands, nor has she a preference for either of the men. This is not personal, she is a hired blade who has been commissioned. That's all that matters. And she will take pride in executing her profession with perfection simply for the sake of doing something well. There is no alternative.

The trio enter the compound from the north. They scale the wall swiftly and quietly like geckos. They must remain unseen by the guards patrolling the parapet. Even if they could easily kill the ones in sight, their absence would be noticed and that would alert the other guards. Instead they must climb again, up the wall of the main building and onto one of several terraces.

Within minutes they are inside the building heading for Tanaka's quarters. Takashi takes point and Santana follows with Koichi is close behind her. They move swiftly and silently through the corridors. Suddenly Takashi stops and presses himself up against the wall. The signs to his companions that there are guards ahead. Santana quickly draws her short sword and holds in a steady grip. Koichi carries a _naginata_ and _jutte_, a long staff with a short blade attached at one end. Takashi carries a _kama_, sickle, in each hand as they approach the guards at a slow pace. They want to delay being discovered as long as possible. There are only two guards here in the corridor. It's a narrow corridor with wooden walls. There are a few _shoji_-doors along the way. They have to dispose of the guards and take a right as the corridor splits up in two directions a little further on. Tanaka's quarters are in the west wing. He doesn't share his private room with anyone and they have to pass through an ante-room to get there. There are always guards in the ante-room. All Santana's sense are on their highest alert. Every sound vibrates loudly in her ears, every smell fills her nostrils and create an impression. Her eyes are well used to the darkness by now and she is acutely aware of the sword in her hand. Her movements are deliberate and controlled. Nothing else exists except the moment. There is no fear, there is no excitement, only purpose.

At Takashi's command they spring upon the two guards. Koichi sprints past one of the guards. Seconds before he passes the man he raises his weapon and cuts his throat. The blade is so sharp it effortlessly cuts several inches into the guard's flesh. It takes an instant before copious amounts of blood gushes from the wound and leaves a distinctive smell in the air. Takashi uses the staff to make the second guard's legs fold under him and Santana swiftly steps in behind the kneeling man and grabs his head with both hands. She has put her sword back in its sheath and with a powerful twist she wrings the man's neck. There is a faint cracking sound and as she lets go, the man falls forward and hits the floor. Koichi crouches down and places two fingers on the guard's neck. Then he looks up and nods.

Takashi takes point again as they continue towards Tanaka's quarters. Before long they stand in front of the door to the ante-room. They expect there to be four guards in there. Takashi and Santana arm themselves with _shurikens¸ _star-shaped metal pieces with sharp sides and tips that have been dipped in strong poisons. Koichi moves to the door and looks at his companions. They both nod at him. As the door opens, three pairs of eyes quickly scan the room and locate the four men. Two are standing on either side of the door that leads in to Tanaka's room, two are sitting on the floor playing a board game.

Within seconds four _shurikens _are in the air. Santana has aimed for the eyes of the two guards standing up while Takashi has thrown his stars at the men on the floor. There is the faintest sound when the metal meets flesh and bone. One of the stars misses by a centimetre and hits one of the guards just above the eye. He staggers forward with blood running down his face. Koichi swiftly steps forward and quickly cuts his throat with one of his sickles. They have tried to keep the noise down as much as possible but they are not sure if Tanaka has heard them in the ante-room.

Takashi opens the door and they move inside. At first sight the room is empty. There is a futon on the floor but no one lies in it. There is a table and a dresser and several scrolls on the walls. By instinct Takashi spins around and only just manages to avoid a strike by a silvery _dai katana, _long sword blade. The owner of the sword is dressed in the fine clothing of a noble man. Santana thinks this must be Tanaka. He must have heard them coming and waited for them pressed against the wall, next to the door.

Takashi is fighting the man face to face now. The sword bearer is fast and skilled. She can tell by the look in Takashi's eyes that he is fully concentrated on the fight. The slightest mistake can lead to instant death. Fortunately Takashi is superbly fast and flexible and with some effort he manages to keep the blade well away from his body. Koichi and Santana are ready assist but Takashi doesn't look like he needs much help. In fact, he is forcing his opponent to retreat further and further into the room. As the older man trips just a little, caught by the corner of the low table, Santana and Koichi know the fight is over. Takashi uses the moment when his adversary loses balance, to leap up in the air and use the long handle of his weapon to deal a paralysing blow to the neck. As the stricken man falls to the floor, Takashi swiftly moves closer and with a steady rapid movement he cuts through the thin skin, sinews, muscles and wind pipes. Then he rises slowly. He's out of breath from the fight and remains quiet for a moment. Then he says to Santana and Koichi "It's not him. I felt from the start that something wasn't right. The longer I fought him the surer I got that it was too easy. This man was not a bad swordsman but he wasn't extraordinary. Take a closer look at him. This is not Tanaka."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey there. I'm sorry this chapter is a little too short. I meant to get further in this chapter but I will try to post the next chapter in not too long. I hope you will stick with the story. Thanks for reading!**

For a moment all three stare at the dead man on the floor. Their plan has failed. Regardless of whether or not Tanaka knew they were coming for him on this night or not, he has taken precautions. Their mission is to find and kill or capture Tanaka. Their task just got a lot more difficult than they anticipated. Santana's mind races. There are so many ways to proceed. She needs her wits about her. They only loose time and energy if they panic and act irrationally.

"It's unlikely that Tanaka is sleeping in one of the main sleeping quarters. If he is still resting, he's probably in another building, possibly in disguise," Koichi says in a low voice. "And we don't have much time before until the whole compound has realised we're here. Someone is bound to stumble upon a dead guard soon and then it's a matter of minutes until every man is awake and armed." Santana and Takashi nod in agreement with Koichi's assessment of the situation.

"Let's get out of the main building and search through the adjacent quarters."

The three take a last look at the dead man on the floor before leaving Tanaka's bedroom and move as fast as they can to leave the house.

Methodically they work their way through corridors and rooms. The strategy now is to hide rather than fight if they come across anyone. While running between buildings all three notice that the sky is getting a little bit lighter. They don't have a lot of time until Tsukahara will strike. Here and there they see traces of the other _shinobis_ but they haven't seen anyone from Iga. Santana wonders if the ones with human targets have been more successful than her group has been. Maybe it was only Tanaka who had taken precautions, maybe not. They will soon know.

Most of the rooms they search through are empty living quarters. Here and there they have found sleeping people but none could possibly have been Tanaka. Either the men were too old, too young, or in other ways too different from the man they look for. There have also been a few women and children in the rooms. They make sure to avoid the guard's quarters. If Tanaka is in there, there is no point trying to get to him now anyway. There will be too many armed men in there.

Running between two smaller buildings Santana smells the scent of smoke. She looks at her companions who nod at her. The _shinobis_ have set the stables on fire. It's the diversion they have planned to allow Tsukahara to enter. Santana can her men shouting, joined by more men shouting. It's still relatively dark but it will be light before long. Soon they can hear the sound of horses coming towards them. As Tsukahara's men ride in Tanaka's guards start to pour out from the buildings, swords drawn, ready to fight off the intruders.

"We'll be more useful finding Tanaka. He may be making his way here to join in the fight. Let's keep looking!" Takashi and Santana nod at Koichi and leave the yard, heading towards the second largest building.

On the path in the shadows they happen upon a dark figure lying slumped over on the ground. They immediately recognise the outfit, it's identical with their own. Takashi bends down to roll the body onto its back. There is a large dark wet patch over the dead man's abdomen and a small slit in the shirt material where a blade has cut through the fabric and into the _shinobi_. Carefully Takashi removes the hood. Santana holds her breath, waiting to find out who of their friends is no longer with them. It's Ketsunori. He's one of the youngest members of their group. His older brother is in on the mission too. They grew up in the village and their parents are well liked, hard-working people.

Takashi lifts the shirt to look at the wound.

"He has been stabbed with a sharp blade and with great force. His killer must have stood close to him."

Santana's heart beats harder and faster inside her chest and she feels her jaw tightening. The possibility of not returning has always been very real for them but it's a lot more real when you are standing over the body of someone you have known most of your life and trained with almost every day. She wouldn't count Ketsunori as one of her close friends but he was part of her everyday life. His absence will be noticeable and she will miss him. But this is not the time for mourning. That comes later.

They carefully lift Ketsunori out of the way. They will come back for him to bring him back to Iga. For now, they need to fulfil the mission.

They press on and enter the building. It's not as big as the main building but still large. It holds both living quarters and one of the compound kitchens and some storage rooms.

They decide to make their way to the highest floor and search through the house from top to bottom. It may be a long shot but they have to be methodical. As they ascend they hear the sound of people moving inside the house but they see no one. It's on the third floor landing that they make the next terrible discovery. Another _shinobi_ lies lifeless on the floor. He holds the hilt of a short sword in his hand and his eyes stare blindly towards the ceiling. They know immediately that it is Hikaru. His thin frame and his light brown eyes identify him. His eyes look very different now though. Looking at his eyes, it strikes Santana how clear it is that his spirit has left him. Hikaru isn't there any more. Unlike Ketsunori, Hikaru was not out on his first mission. He was in his thirties and had accompanied Takai on several assignments. He couldn't have been an easy target. Still, there are no bodies other than his and his body shows no sign of struggle, save from the deep cut that runs across his throat. He must have bled out in just a few moments. Just like with Ketsunori, Hikaru's killer must have gotten very close to him.

"Someone with a sharp blade and a strong arm, again." Koichi is crouched down next to Hikaru. Carefully he places two fingers on the dead man's eyelids and pulls them down. Koichi looks deeply troubled. Santana and Takashi share his concern.

"Somehow I have a feeling something is really wrong. It doesn't add up."

They lift Hikaru's body up to the next floor and place him next to the wall. Then they continue upwards. They search through the top floor but find nothing. As they pause for a minute they look out one of the windows. The fire in the stable is almost put out but thick black smoke still rises from the ruined building. Groups of men are fighting all over the compound. Some of the _shinobis_ have joined Tsukahara's men and fight out in the open.

On the next floor they decide to split up in the corridor to search the rooms faster. They'll be close enough to each other to get assistance in a few moments, should they need it. Santana finds an empty bedroom. There are still futons on the floor and it looks like the people who slept in here left in a hurry. Swiftly Santana moves towards the big cupboards where the futons are stored at daytime. They are large enough to use as a hiding place. She holds her short sword raised in her left hand as she quickly opens the door. She's ready to fight. The sight that meets her when the door slides open still startles her. Two large eyes stare at her. They belong to a little girl, maybe eight or ten years old. The girl doesn't scream, nor does she cry. She just stares at Santana with an unreadable expression on her face. Santana lowers her sword and puts it in the sheath.

"I won't hurt you," she whispers to the girl. "I'm looking for a man and I won't hurt you."

The girl continues to look at her.

"My father is a man. Are you looking for him?" the girl asks.

"I don't think I'm looking for your father. What's his name?"

"Michio. Tanaka Michio."

Santana gives the girl a weak smile.

"I have to go again. Stay in here and keep yourself out of the way. There is a lot of fighting going on out there."

The little girl nods and Santana closes the cupboard door again. She closes her eyes and takes a moment to find her focus again. She can't let the meeting with Tanaka's daughter affect her. The girl has nothing to do with the mission and she cannot change it.

Santana finds the next room completely empty and when she meets up with Koichi and Takashi again in the corridor, neither of them have come across Tanaka or any of his men either. The next floor is completely empty and so is the one under it. Soon they are back on the ground floor, which is larger than the other floors. They decide that Santana and Takashi will search through the west corridor while Koichi starts on the east corridor.

The two friends make their way from room to room, fruitlessly looking for their target. Eventually they return to where they split up and head for the east corridor. They pass the rooms they assume Koichi has searched through.

"Hey! Have you seen anyone?" It's Koichi's voice in the next room. He must have come upon someone from the Iga-group or Tsukahara's men. Santana and Koichi slow down to a normal walking pace. As they enter the room they see a man in _shinobi_-clothes step towards Koichi. In horror Santana watches as the man draws a blade and drives it deep inside Koichi's abdomen. Looking straight into Santana's eyes, he pulls it out again. There is a gleam in his eyes. They almost glitter with excitement. And then he is gone before Takashi or Santana have time to react. It happens in seconds but to her it feels like hours. Takashi steps forward to catch Koichi who staggers to the side with a bewildered look in his eyes. He tries to say something but fails. Gently Takashi lowers them both to the floor and he removes the hood from Koichi's face. Santana can't move. She feels like her body is made of lead. In horror she watches as Koichi struggles to draw breath while blood trickles from the side of his mouth.

"Hold his hand," Takashi tells her.

With stiff movements she crouches down to sit next to her wounded companion. She takes his hand and looks into his eyes. She can tell he has trouble focusing.

"How bad is it?" she asks Takashi who has pulled up the blood soaked shirt. He looks at her and shakes his head ever so slightly.

"Koichi, we will avenge you and we will bring you back to Iga to your family. We will tell them how you died with honour and your name will live forever," she tells him. He tries to speak again but no sounds leave his mouth.

It takes a little while. Takashi and Santana sit still in silence. They hold their friend as he passes into the next world. They stay like that for a bit longer. Neither of them wants to move but they know they have to get going. While the mission was just that, a mission, it is now something else.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: The mission is about to reach its peak.  
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoy the story. If you have time, please leave a review. **

It takes all their will power to leave Koichi there on the _tatami_ floor. They have laid him out with his arms by his sides. He looks peaceful. Almost like he is sleeping. She will mourn him for a long time. She will miss him by her side at home in the _dojo _and at the table in her father's house. She will miss his calm personality and thoughtful advise. She knows Takashi feels the same way.

"So now we know how someone could get so close to Ketsunori and Hikaru. The same way he got so close to Koichi. But he didn't look like a _shinobi_ somehow. Like his movements were a little too stiff or something. I could be wrong. He could be of another _shinobi_ clan somehow I don't think so." Takashi sounds weary.

"Whoever he is, he will die." She speaks with the calmness that comes with total conviction.

"He will die," Takashi confirms. "Now the question is, do we continue looking for Tanaka or do we hunt down Koichi's killer and try to warn the others?"

"Let's finish searching this building and then let Tsukahara know there is a strange _shinobi" _in the compound.

But how do you identify an intruder when he is wearing a black hood, just like all your friends?

There is no one in the remaining rooms. Takashi and Santana leave the house in the early morning light to find Tsukahara. The grounds are in tumult. There is fighting everywhere. Men shouting, screaming in pain and horses neighing.

"Remove your hood," Santana says to Takashi as she pulls her own from her head. "We have to be able to tell him from our own."

Takashi removes his hood and puts it in his belt. Then they head for the main yard guessing that is where they'll find Tsukahara. On their way the end up fighting several of Tanaka's guards. Takashi uses his sickles and Santana wields her short sword. The two are much too apt for the guards to stand a chance, especially when the _shinobis_ work together. The two have trained with each other since they were children. They know each other's fighting styles and techniques in every detail and move as one against their opponents. The guards are merely obstacles in their way.

Whenever they come across a hooded figure then tell them to remove their hoods. Kenji, Yusuke, Hiroshi and Jirou all reveal their faces when they see that Takashi and Santana have done so themselves. "There is an imposter! Be careful, he is good. And he must die!" they shout to their friends as they continue forwards towards the yard. Seeing the others makes Santana's mind stray for a moment. It takes her back to Iga, to the _dojo_. It shows her images of Kawada's compound, Koichi smiling at her down at the training field. It brings her images of Brittany in her summer dress, walking towards her. Brittany. Santana's heart swells. When this is over, she is going to return to Kawada's compound one last time and fetch Brittany. Suddenly she feels the fatigue in her body and how much she longs to lie down in Brittany's arms. Just to draw in the scent of her lover and feel the warmth of her body.

With great effort she forces her mind to close down those images and focus on the present. She ignores that her body needs rest. She looks at Takashi who gives her a reassuring smile and a nod.

Tsukahara is on his horse at one end of the yard. He's calling out orders. His armour shines in the sunlight and he is holding his _dai katana_, long sword in his right hand, ready to use it if need be. He is a _samurai_ of the old school, a skilled swordsman and fiercely loyal to his master. He will do Kawada's bidding until his dying day. He is an honourable man and well liked by his men.

Santana and Takashi manage to get through to him and appraise him of the situation. He looks troubled when they tell him that they have not yet found Tanaka and that there is a strange _shinobi_ operating in the compound.

"Nakagawa-san, Takai-san, the fight is going our way. We expect Tanaka's men to surrender in not too long. They keep fighting now even though they know they will not win, because Tanaka has not told them to do otherwise. We need to capture or kill him. Please continue your assignment."

Takashi and Santana bow before Tsukahara and assure him they will do everything they can to find Tanaka.

They decide Tanaka wouldn't be a coward and leave the compound. If he is the honourable man they have heard of, he'll fight to defend his compound and stand by his men. Could he be disguised as a common guard? If he was in full armour with the Tanaka colours he would of course have been identified straight away.

Santana and Takashi run through the compound, searching for Tanaka, trying to find him among the fighting men. They don't have very much to go on apart from a rather vague idea of what his face looks like and that he is an accomplished swordsman.

The search is difficult. There are so many places Tanaka could be and he is on his home ground. The fights against the guards may be quite easily won but they still tire Santana and Takashi out and it's hard for them to stay focused and not be distracted by feelings of anger, hatred and sadness.

As they turn a corner they enter a smaller yard with a well in the middle. There has been fighting here. Two guards lie dead on the ground. A man stands by the well, drinking water. He is dressed in black with the _shinobi_ hood on his head.

"Take the hood off! We need to see your face," Takashi calls out.

The man doesn't move.

"Take the hood off!" Santana's voice is tense. She already knows this the man who killed Koichi. She knows Takashi has drawn the same conclusion.

"Remove the hood!" Takashi sounds threatening.

The man slowly brings his hand to his head and pulls the hood off as he turns around to face the two Iga _shinobis. _

Santana takes a step back in surprise. It can't be. Her eyes widen in disbelief. She hears Takashi draw in a sharp breath.

With a few quick steps the man has moved to the body of one of the guards and picked up a long sword. He unsheathes it and expertly weighs it in his hand, connecting with the weapon and getting a sense of its balance and personality. He slashes the air twice with the steel blade. It reflects the sunlight. The man smiles seemingly content.

Then he turns his attention to the two onlookers.

"It's certainly not the best sword I've seen but it will have to do," Tanaka says conversationally as he takes a few steps towards them.

Santana's grip on her short sword tightens.

Then, without warning he strikes towards Takashi who only just manages to avoid the blade. By doing so he is separated from Santana who quick as a weasel leaps up and aims her blade at his neck. At the last moment Tanaka moves to the side and her blade only cuts air. Takashi strikes but his blade is stopped by the long sword wielded with such power that Takashi is forced to take several steps backwards. Santana aims at Tanaka's back this time but he spins around while moving to the side.

Santana knows she is fast. One of the fastest but so is Tanaka. The sword moves like it is an extension of his arm. He is strong and his reach is much longer than hers. He moves with confidence and ease.

"So, Kawada has sent a girl to kill me. He was born a fool and he will die a fool," Tanaka mocks.

He connects his blade with hers to gauge her strength and technique. There is a hint of surprise in his face as he feels her strength and sees the relentless expression in her eyes.

Santana has stopped thinking. She knows she is at her best when she doesn't think or plan. She has emptied her mind and all that exists now is the fight. She's not held back by fear or tactics. Her movements become more fluid. She becomes even faster. As she swirls around, arm extended her blade lightly connects with Tanaka's ribcage, cutting through the material and skin but soon hits bone. Tanaka winces briefly but recovers quickly, touching the wound with his left hand to feel how bad it is.

Tanaka stares at his two opponents and all three move around slowly, waiting for someone to attack. They stay like that for what feels like an eternity, bodies at the ready, all senses heightened.

Then Takashi moves in and makes a low round kick aiming at Tanaka's knees. As their opponent jumps out of the way to dodge the attack, Santana jumps up and tries to kick his head but he moves out of the way and she hits his shoulder instead. It still brings him off balance for a moment and it gives Santana time to land and strike with her short sword. This time she cuts his left upper thigh. It's not deep enough to incapacitate the leg but it bleeds heavily and must hurt. It seems to infuriate him. He charges at her with a series of slashes in rapid order. She looks like an acrobat as she jumps, twists and turns in order to avoid the sharp long sword. Takashi watches in amazement. She fast enough to escape the blade but there is no time to strike back.

As Tanaka slows down, both he and Santana pause for a moment to catch their breaths. Then she gives Takashi a look and a barely noticeable nod. He springs forward like a cat, catching Tanaka's attention while Santana leaps at him from behind and swiftly buries her short sword to the hilt between his ribs. Still in movement Tanaka swipes around missing Takashi but catching Santana in the side. The steel cuts deep.

He is still standing but his breathing is heavy and laboured. As he coughs, blood trickles from the side of his mouth. He hasn't lowered his sword but his powers are leaving him fast. Santana feels her legs give and as she falls to the ground she watches how Takashi takes two steps towards Tanaka an unceremoniously cuts the man's throat. Then all goes black.


	17. Chapter 17

Santana slowly opens her eyes. She can see the sky and it appears to be moving. There are a few white clouds and the sun is shining brightly. The clouds look so fluffy. She is so tired. She closes her eyes again and drifts off.

The next time she wakes up she can hear voices, men talking conversationally. She can't hear what they are saying but recognises Takashi's voice. It's comforting. There is a burning pain in her abdomen. It makes her afraid to move. She opens her eyes. The clouds are still there. She realises she is on something that moves. It shakes a little and she can hear the large wooden wheels moving. She's on a carriage. Slowly it all comes back to her, the fight with Tanaka, how she stabbed him and how Takashi cut his throat. He must have cut her.

"Takashi, she's awake!" It's Yusuke's voice.

She feels how the carriage leans a little to one side and soon Takashi's face appears above hers. She tries to speak but he hushes her.

"It's ok San. You're alright. We're on our way back to Kawada's compound. He slashed you pretty good but you'll be ok. Rest now." Takashi's voice is calm and soothing. He brings a damp cloth to her lips and wets them. Slowly she licks the moisture off them and closes her eyes again. They made it out. She's on her way back to Brittany. That's all that matters right now.

The party stops for the night in a small village. Rather than pressing on, they decide to get a good night's sleep in a _ryokan_. They are all exhausted and Santana needs to rest properly. Takashi also wants to tend to her wound under better conditions than the road can offer. Gently he lifts her up in his arms and carries her in to the room they have rented. She feels so small and light. He looks at her face. It's covered with small beads of sweat and she is paler than usual. He has picked some herbs along the way to make an ointment to put on the cut and he will try to find something to ease her pain. Yusuke has put out a futon on the floor for her and Takashi carefully places her on it.

"Go make your ointment. I will stay with her. Kazuma will get food and water for us all," Yosuke assures Takashi.

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She wakes with a start. Her eyes fly open. It was a dream. I was just a dream. She dreamed she walked into a room and as she entered she saw a man dressed in black, bend over a person lying on a futon. As she came closer she could see that the person on the futon was Brittany and the man was wielding a dagger. He looked at her and grinned before he buried his dagger deep in the blond girl's abdomen. In her dream Santana tried to scream but no sound would come. Then she woke up. Thankfully she woke up realising it was just a dream. Brittany is safe in Kawada's compound and Tanaka is dead. She tries to slow her frantic breathing. She hears her heart pounding. It was just a dream.

The pain in her side is excruciating and she is thirsty. Her throat and mouth feel dry and sore. She lifts her head slightly and looks at her body. She's not sure she wants to see the wound. Carefully she pulls up the shirt and finds the wound is neatly dressed. She is still in her black pants but she is wearing a sand coloured shirt. Takashi must have cleaned her and put a fresh shirt on her. She doesn't care that it means he has seen her half naked. He is like a brother to her and he thinks of her the same way.

Yusuke smiles at her.

"Hey there. Good to see you're awake. Don't move San-chan. Want some water?"

She nods and Yusuke puts his arm under her head and brings a cup to her lips. The cold water feels like a life elixir as swallows it down.

"Does it hurt a lot?" Yusuke looks concerned. She doesn't want to complain and she knows how to handle pain but it does hurt. A lot. "

Silently she nods.

"It's deep but you're young." He grins at her and she smiles weakly. "We just have to make sure it doesn't get infected. You have gone all pale. It doesn't suit you." He grins again. She'd hit his arm if she had the strength.

"Don't be a jerk," she mumbles. He chuckles.

"Rest some more. Takashi will be back soon and Kazuma is getting something to eat. I think we want to keep you on a liquid diet for the time being, just some broth and tea will have to do you for today. Tetsunori has left on horseback to inform Takai-sensei of the outcome. Tsukahara and his men are staying the night in the next village. We'll be back at Kawada's compound tomorrow afternoon. Takai-sensei will cook you proper medicines and I'm sure there is someone who will be eager to nurse you back to good health." He winks at her. She blushes a little. Sure she can't burden Brittany with that though. It's one thing to have Takashi and Yusuke tending to her but she can't ask that of Brittany. She doesn't want to be a burden. Besides, they are still only getting to know each other.

She is woken up again by Takashi. He is sitting next to her holding a pot.

"I'm going to redress your wound. I've made an ointment. It smells terrible but I hope it will help you keep infections at bay." He smiles at her and she is filled with a warm feeling inside. She hopes he knows who he is to her. What he means to her. She thinks she is something like that to him too. She hopes so. Growing up together has tied them together in ways they can never explain. It has made them irreplaceable to each other.

"Takashi, I need to pee." She feels embarrassed but she doesn't know what else to do. She needs help getting up and to wherever the outhouse is.

He nods.

"I think it's easiest if I carry you." Gently he scoops her up in his arms. She grimaces in pain and he smiles at her apologetically. Then he brings her to the outhouse, he helps her with her clothes and sees to that she gets to do what she needs to. Then he carries her back to the room. She clings to him with weak arms. He puts her down on the futon again and pulls up her shirt. He removes the dressing on the wound. His face doesn't move as he exposes the deep cut. It worries her.

"How bad is it?" She holds her breath as she awaits the answer.

"It's deep San. It doesn't look infected but you are still bleeding. Let's see what the ointment does for it." The paste hurts like crazy. She grips the futon hard in order not to scream out loud. Takashi and Yusuke look concerned.

"Some rest now and we set out early tomorrow. I want us to get back to Takai-sensei as soon as possible. We need his medical skills." Takashi nods.

Santana sleeps fitfully through the night.

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Santana keeps slipping in and out of unconsciousness as they make their way towards Kawada's compound. Yusuke leads the mule that pulls the carriage and Takashi walks beside it. They only make a few brief stops along the way. There are eight of them in their party. All are anxious to get back. They will discuss the mission with the whole group and brief Kawada. The plan is for them to rest up for a few days and then to return to Iga.

The whole group breathes a sigh of relief when they catch sight of the walls of Kawada's compound. Takashi carries Santana into the sleeping quarters. She's even paler now and can barely keep her eyes open. Yusuke goes to fetch Takai who hurries in to Santana. He kneels down on the floor next to her and puts his hand on her brow.

"You are worrying an old man, Santana." Without further due he pulls up her shirt to look at the wound.

"Hmmm…" Is all he says.

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When she comes to again she looks up to find Takai sitting by her side and so is Brittany. She has been stripped down to her underwear and her hair is tied back in a ponytail. Brittany is holding a damp cloth and there is a bowl next to her. She must have washed the unconscious girl.

"You came back to me, just like you promised." Brittany smiles at her. Santana does her best to smile back. There is a burning sensation across her abdomen.

"There is a minor infection but part of the wound has started to heal. You need to rest. Drink this." Takai holds a cup to her mouth. He sees the look in her eyes.

"This is the job of a father of a motherless child. This is my job Santana. I took care of you when you were sick when you were little. I can do it again." He pats her arm gently. "Besides, I have help from an eager assistant. He nods towards Brittany. "I will leave you two alone for a while." He gets up and exits the room.

"I was so worried when I heard you had been hurt, my love." Brittany kisses her forehead. "I was so worried that you were in pain and afraid. But now you are here with me and I can take care of you. Takai-san will help you get better." She strokes Santana's face.

"I will get better and we will go to Iga. We will start a home. The thought of it helps me recover. My stupid wound will heal. I should have been faster." She speaks slowly and her voice is weak. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I don't want you to nurse me. It's not the way it's supposed to be." She can see the hurt in Brittany's eyes. She understands but this is not how she wants their life together to start. She's not supposed to be weak and bedridden with Brittany worried and sad by her side. She wants Takashi to bring her to Iga now and she can come back for Brittany. She wants Brittany to look at her body as something beautiful, desirable, not clammy and pale from infection. Not weak, dirty and something that needs tending to. It's humiliating.

"But I want to be by your side. It's where I belong," Brittany says dejectedly.

"We shall be by each other's side. Please just let me heal first." There is a pleading tone in her voice that breaks Brittany's heart. She leans forward and kisses Santana's brow again.

"I will be back in the morning. Rest now my love."

As Brittany leaves, Takashi enters the room with a tray. He sets it down next to Santana. There is soup and tea. Slowly and carefully he spoon feeds her. He wipes her chin when she doesn't manage to get all of the liquid into her mouth. He waits patiently when she needs to rest between mouthfuls of soup. His calm demeanour sooths her and she is grateful to him.

He seems pleased that she manages to eat the soup and drink the tea. While he potters around in the room Santana drifts off again.

She wakes a few hours later. All is still. She looks around in the room and sees Takashi sleeping on a futon next to hers. His chest rises and falls at a slow and even pace. A little further away is Takai, snoring lightly. She wishes he had Brittany with her. She longs to lie next to the blond girl. She wants it so much her chest aches. But it will have to wait. They will have to wait.


End file.
